Edible Santa Fe Summer 2013 by edible New Mexico

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Member of edible communities

Issue 28 路 Summer 2013

SANTA FE 庐 THE STORY OF LOCAL FOOD FROM ALBUQUERQUE TAOS

HANDMADE

SUMMER 2013 - handmade issue departments 2

Letter from the Editor

What’s Fresh, What’s Local Which Came First, The Chicken or the Egg By Sofia Eleftheriou

8 14 16 19

Cooking Fresh There Will Be Smoke By Andrea Feucht

liquid assets

52 Eat Local Guide 55 edible notables 56 last bite Handmade By Stephanie Cameron

urban foraging

24 Homemade rising

Summer By Amelia White

Delicious New Mexico Memoir Strawberry Fields Forever By Elizabeth Grant Thomas

Destination Neighborhood kitchen table politics In a Pickle By Nissa Patterson

By Sergio Salvador

Features

Corrales By Lisa Brown

48 Table Hopping

Sweet and Sour Summer By Ashlie Hughes

Cultivating a Valley of Wealth By Brandon Stam

On the Cover

Agritourism Ice's Country Tea Room & Organic Farm By Selena Marroquin

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By Lorelei Kellogg

27 home grown new mexico By Sarah Sheesley

28 a place to eat together By Erin Elder

Handmade

Photo by Stephanie Cameron

On this Page Ameraucana Chicken Photo by Rick Scibelli

30 extreme backyard gardeners By Emily J. Beenen

34 Chicken wars By Nancy Zastudil

36 all the pretty birds By Rick Scibelli

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

letter from the editor We debated for a long time about what to call this issue. We decided to call it Handmade because what we're talking about is creating collective knowledge of how to make things by hand, and community practice of working through production problems, specifically as they relate to food. We wanted to talk about DIY philosophy and urban homesteading; about learning from our grandmothers and cottage industry for processed foods; about not just knowing where your food comes from but finding joy in growing it, making it from scratch, and sharing. Current global pressures (primarily fewer resources for more and more people) are a call to get creative; to see what we can do with what’s in front of us; and to find fun new ways to work together. We're not talking so much about individual self-sufficiency as community resilience through reclaiming the mode of production and figuring out how to make the things we need, specifically food, at a community scale. Because edible Santa Fe is a food magazine, and because this is the Handmade issue, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on the recipe—the quintessential food how-to guide. Any activity, in retrospect, can be deconstructed and recreated as a recipe. Approaching any task as something that can be “cooked up” allows for what was happenstance and accidental to be recreated and made routine. Let’s take yogurt for example. I imagine that someone got distracted and left a pail of milk behind the barn on a warm day and was brave enough to taste it afterwards. Without a lab where they systematically experimented with bacteria and dairy products, they discovered the result was tart and delicious, so they decided to leave another pail out the next day. After several pails of soured milk, perhaps they shared the story with a friend, who tried out the steps and refined the process. Recipes are made through a potent combination of experimentation, accident, reflection, and sharing. In this issue we introduce you to New Mexicans who are cooking up new ways to do more with less, and to make things by hand. In other words, we take you to homes, businesses, art projects, gardens, and kitchens where smart and crafty individuals are making the recipes for reclaiming food production and community collaboration. The articles in this issue tell an amazing story of their capacity to produce food for themselves, their friends and neighbors, and their winter larders. We look to the makers—those who have, whether by choice, necessity, or accident, taken it upon themselves to be producers in a consumer driven world—for knowledge, guidance, and inspiration.

Sarah Wentzel-Fisher

Publisher Bite Size Media, LLC

Editor Sarah Wentzel-Fisher

Copy Editors Margaret Marti, Sarah Skenazy

Contributors Lisa Brown, Erin Elder, Sofia Eleftheriou, Andrea Feucht, Elizabeth Grant Thomas, Ashlie Hughes, Lorelei Kellogg, Selena Marroquin, Nissa Patterson, Sergio Salvador, Sarah Sheesley, Brandon Stam, Amelia White, Nancy Zastudil

design and layout Stephanie Cameron

PHOTOGRAPHY Stephanie Cameron, Sergio Salvador, Rick Scibelli, Carole Topalian, Erin Elder, Dory Wegryzn

web & social media editors Stephanie Cameron, Sarah Wentzel-Fisher

Web & Social Media Contributors Nissa Patterson, Gail Guengerich, Lisa Mase

Video Producer D. Walt Cameron

ADVERTISING D. Walt Cameron, Ashlie Hughes, Sheli Armstrong

Subscribe ∙ Buy an Ad ∙ LETTERS 505-212-0791 WWW.EDIBLESANTAFE.COM We welcome your letters. Write to us at the address above, or e-mail us at info@ediblesantafe.com edible Santa Fe takes pride in providing its subscribers with fast, friendly, small town service. Bite Size Media, LLC publishes edible Santa Fe four times a year: spring, summer, fall, and winter. We distribute throughout Central and Northern New Mexico and nationally by subscription. Subscriptions are $32 annually. No part of this publication may be used without the written permission of the publisher. © 2013 All rights reserved.

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

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edible Santa Fe 路 Summer 2013

what’s fresh, what’s local: All this and more at New Mexico farmers' markets this summer.

Egg Stephanie Cameron edibleCoddler, Santa Fe · Photo Summer by 2013

Apricots Artichoke Arugula Asparagus Basil Beets Blackberries Bok Choy Braising Greens Broccoli Burdock Cabbage Carrots Chard Cherries Chile Chicory Chives Chokecherries Cilantro Collards Corn Cucumber Currants Dandelion Dill Edible Flowers Eggplant Elderberries Fennel Figs Garlic Grapes Honey Horseradish Jerusalem Artichokes Jujubes Kale Kohlrabi Lavender Leeks Lettuces Marjoram 4

Melons Microgreens Mint Mushrooms Mustard Greens Nectarines Nopales Okra Onions Oregano Parsley Peaches Pears Peas Peppers Plums Pomegranates Potatoes Prickly Pears Quelites Radishes Raspberries Red Chile Rhubarb Rosemary Salad Greens Savory Scallions Shallots Sorrel Spinach Sprouts Strawberries String beans Sugar Snap Peas Summer Squash Sweet Potatoes Thyme Tomatillos Tomatoes Turnips Watermelons Zucchini subscribe @ ediblesantafe.com

what's fresh, what's local

Which came first, the chicken or the egg? By Sofia Eleftheriou ∙ Photos by Stephanie Cameron Keeping chickens adds a subtle routine and change to life, a break from grueling routines. We become proud of the little eggs, and the hens that lay them, and are in awe of our girls’ ability to produce a whole and perfect egg almost everyday. Children are especially fascinated—neighbor kids often peek over my walls full of questions and curiosities about these egg-producing, scrap-eating pets.

the most common home breeds, such as the Wyandotte, lay a nice sized brown egg, there are some who cause excitement in the nest. A Polish is known for its small white eggs, while the Ameraucana, an absolute favorite, lays a large blue-green egg. Bantams are noted for their desire to brood, or sit on eggs, and Leghorns are often chosen for being prolific layers.

A yard full of chickens fell out of fashion along with having vegetable gardens and hanging clothes on the line—perhaps an attempt to rid ourselves of an old world image, to be American, with a green lawn and a freezer full of TV dinners. As a nation we are rediscovering home food production and reverting to the ways of our great grandparents. Gardens, beehives, and chicken coops have found their way into our urban areas.

The constant prize of an egg reminds us that it can improve almost any meal. It will transform a stack of pancakes into a breakfast fit for a lumberjack, or for a nap-inducing lunch, add one atop your enchiladas. Not only is the egg tasty and oh-so-very conveniently packaged, it also happens to be the perfect food. The nutrition available in a single egg is rarely matched. According to The American Egg Board, eggs have almost every essential vitamin and mineral that we need. In addition, an egg has a substantial percentage of our dailyrecommended protein, iron, and vitamins D and B12, to name a few. Even though all of the cholesterol is found in the yolk, for goodness sake don’t skip it! The yolk boasts most all of those nutrients that help keep our brains and bodies healthy.

The chicken family; egg, hen, and cock, are intertwined with our history and culture. The egg; symbolizing fertility and bounty, the hen; symbolizing femininity and home, the rooster; the ultimate in male aggression and valor, are all found in countless proverbs and their imagery populate our gardens, stories, and traditions. These domestic birds seem to be the perfect combination of livestock and pet—very low maintenance, and with much to offer. A small flock can provide amply for a family. A chicken is worth eating after only two months, and after a few more months will start laying eggs, the perfect little packaged food. Our long and rich relationship with chickens dates back somewhere between seven and ten thousand years. We domesticated these beloved birds from a Southeast Asian bird called red junglefowl (Gallus gallus). With our help, the chicken made its way across Europe, Africa, and eventually to South and North America. Since humans cooped up hens, we have been selectively breeding them. While some of our most prominent crops are whittled down from diverse varieties to monocultures, chicken breeding has taken the opposite approach. Through breeding, we have a rich variety of fowl, all valued for their specific attributes—some for their meaty breasts, others for their expert egg laying, some because they play well with others, and some for their fancy feathers and showy combs. For those keeping chickens at home, it is ultimately the egg we are after. The difference between a store-bought egg and a fresh egg is clear by how much people appreciate the gift of a fresh dozen. While

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Moving away from our ancient practice of families having a few chickens available at all times has not changed our reliance on them. The massiveness of the chicken and egg industry has resulted in Goliath-scale chicken farms with stomach churning practices. If you’re not ready to take the leap to keeping a few hens in your yard, fortunately we have plenty of humanely-raised-in-New-Mexico options when it comes to buying eggs. Look for brands like Peculiar Farms, East Mountain Organics, Beneficial, Exotic Eggs, St. Francis, and Happy Chicken, just to name a few. “A box without hinges, key, or lid, yet golden treasure inside is hid.” –Bilbo “Eggses it is!” –Gollum Aptly described by one commenter on her blog as a culinary siren, Sofia Eleftheriou has a magical power that can take away your fear of baking. She connects people and creates community with her cooking and intuitively understands that the culinary language is one that everyone speaks; that no matter how different we are, we can all meet in that place on our tongues where the salty and the sweet intermingle, where something familiar and something new coexists. Read more of her recipes at www.sweetiepiepublishing.com.

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

Taste The New Southwest

Inspired by Northern New Mexico and infused with local and organically sourced ingredients, new Executive Chef Andrew Cooper’s menu blends a seasonal sense of balance, place and comfort to create a new twist on contemporary American cuisine.

877.262.4666 • fourseasons.com/santafe • 198 state road 592, santa fe

JULY

HISTORIC INN & ORGANIC FARM

13 & 14 AGRI-NATURE CENTER

Come visit us at our education tent this year for lavender distillations, classes, lavender products and more!

For more Los Poblanos lavender related events: lospoblanos.com edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

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what's fresh, what's local The Old School Egg

Friday Night Skillet Breakfast

Makes 4 eggs

Serves 2

Egg coddlers are one of the many once-popular pieces of cooking paraphernalia that have simply turned into cute kitchen décor. They look like egg cups with metal screw-on lids—that is what I always took the set in my parent’s kitchen for. But at a recent impromptu brunch, I discovered they are a great way to cook a delicious egg. The egg coddler basically replaces the shell of the egg so it can be boiled with added ingredients. You can either scramble the egg first or crack the whole egg into the coddler to reproduce soft or hard boiling—this is my preferred method. 4 small eggs 1 teaspoon butter 2 tablespoons feta 4 cherry tomatoes, thinly sliced 3 tablespoons fresh herb mixture: parsley, dill, spring onion, and thyme Salt and pepper You will need a coddler for each egg. Fill a pot with enough water so the four egg coddlers can be submerged just up to their lids. Bring the water to a boil. Meanwhile, generously butter the inside and lid of the coddlers. Crack an egg into each; add salt, pepper, herb mix, tomatoes, and feta. The size of your egg coddler will determine how much you can add. Screw the lids on loosely—if they are too tight you won’t be able to remove them later. Holding the handle on the lid, lower the coddlers into the boiling water. For a soft-boiled egg, boil for 4 – 5 minutes. The beauty of an egg coddler is that if the egg isn’t cooked to your liking you can put the lid back on and cook it longer. Serve warm with toast.

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The sauce: 2 tablespoons butter 1/2 cup oyster mushrooms 2 cloves garlic (or 1 small head of fresh garlic) 1/2 cup dry white wine 1 teaspoon salt The main event: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1/4 pound sausage without casing 2 tablespoons leeks, chopped 1/2 bunch braising greens 1 small tomato, chopped 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 2 eggs 3 tablespoons chevre or feta In a small frying pan sauté the mushrooms and garlic in 1 tablespoon butter until the mushrooms soften and release moisture. Add 1/4 cup of white wine and 1/4 teaspoon salt, reduce. Remove from heat and whisk in the second tablespoon of butter, then set aside. In a skillet sauté sausage and leeks in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, use a spatula to break up sausage and mix it well with the leeks. When sausage is cooked (3 – 5 minutes) add the braising greens, tomato, parsley, salt, and 1/4 cup white wine. Stir once to combine ingredients but don’t over mix them; cover. Cook for another 3 – 5 minutes until the greens start to soften but are still bright green. Create two small nests in the mixture and crack an egg into each one, sprinkling the top with the cheese. Cover again and cook for 3 – 6 minutes depending on how well you like your eggs cooked. Using a large serving spoon scoop out each egg with as much of the green mixture as you can, place on plate. Top with the mushrooms. Enjoy!

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

edible Santa Fe 路 Summer 2013

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cooking fresh

There Will Be Smoke SUMMER TIME AND THE GRILLING IS EASY

By Andrea Feucht ∙ Photos by Stephanie Cameron When it is time to grill, go all in. Fire up your equipment and try some new tricks, with no ingredient left untouched—this is nose-totail grilling, from peaches to steak. Don’t own a grill? Get ready to join a crowd that ranges from occasional weekend cooks to full-on obsessive tinkerers in love with char. Look for resources on how to choose your grilling equipment—reputable folks you can find online are Steven Raichlen and Tim Love. Believe it or not, the benefits of each grill type (gas, charcoal, or stovetop) can be summed up in so few characters it could be tweeted: Charcoal: cheap, simple, hot, BBQ/smoker ready, long heat-up time; gas: pricier, nuanced, better for fish, easy-clean; stove top: tricky, smoky. GRILLING 101: A few grilling basics are in order. First, make sure you have a good way to measure temperature of both your grilling environment and your food—a probe thermometer will take care of the latter (avoiding undercooking disasters), while many modern grills have their own built-in temperature gauge. Next, remember that flames love oxygen, so venting your grill will increase the temperature—the lid smothers the flames and keeps the heat low. Then, keep your space organized with good tools and landing spots for food that is not yet cooked or ready to come off the grill. Finally, have patience and a not-grumbling stomach. Grilling a full meal takes some time, so relax and enjoy the process. More comprehensive grilling instructions can be found online for free from Weber (www.weber.com) and Kingsford (www.grilling.com). Don’t worry that they are from big companies—the information is wonderfully detailed because they want you to love grilling so that you might be a future happy customer. It’s win-win. If you have no aspirations to buy a gas or charcoal grill and no plans to hang out at a friend’s fully-equipped house, first, reconsider. Grilling indoors is both tricky and fraught with potential smoke detector adventures. If you’re determined, just make sure you do have two essential items: a cast-iron grill pan and a high-powered kitchen ventilation system. The latter is rather important: there will be smoke. The heavy cast iron will help spread heat evenly, especially if the pan is larger than your stove’s burner. Some models are rectangular and stretch over two burners—this is a blessing when trying to grill three pounds of zucchini at the same time. On to our recipes, a full meal featuring farmers’ market ingredients you’ll find all summer throughout our enchanting state. Not a single

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recipe in this bunch forgoes the grill—I’ve included neither complementary boiled side dishes nor raw preparations. All dishes can benefit from a bit of char when armed with good recipes and seasonal ingredients. Soon your place will be that house with the amazing smells rising from the backyard a few times a week. I’ve passed those houses on evening jogs, dreaming of ribs all the way home.

Grilled Eggplant with Feta, Mint, and Chile

Adapted from Nigella Lawson Serves 8 – 10 as a starter

One of my earliest opportunities to let my foodie flag fly came when I catered an appetizer party for a friend. Terrified, I took inspiration and solace from my most trusted source at the time: Nigella Lawson. The first recipe penciled on the menu was something like an eggplant roll-up with cheese that sounded just fussy enough. Mine were not as pretty as those in the book but the flavor was top notch and the party was underway. Leap on this recipe when you see eggplants at the farmers' market or showcased at your favorite local grocery, then show off another New Mexico product by including local feta cheese. Names to watch for at markets, co-ops, and independent grocers are CoonRidge, Old Windmill Dairy, and South Mountain Dairy. 2 large eggplants, each cut lengthwise into about 10 slices 4 teaspoons olive oil 1 cup feta cheese 1 spicy chile like a jalapeno or yellow hot, finely chopped 1 small bunch fresh mint, finely chopped Black pepper, freshly ground 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Crumble the feta into a bowl; stir in the chile, mint, lemon juice, and a few grinds of black pepper, then set aside. Preheat the grill to a high heat. Brush each side of the eggplant slices with oil. Grill for about 2 minutes each side until softening and striped, then remove to a plate. With each eggplant slice, scoop about a tablespoon of the cheese mixture at one end, and then roll the whole thing up like a blanket. As you finish each, place it on the plate with the loose edge down to prevent unrolling. Sprinkle the whole plate with mint when done. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

cooking fresh

Italian Salad When Really You Just Have Too Much Zucchini

Serves 8 – 10 as a starter

This recipe works at a summer barbeque just as well as during the middle of winter (when zucchini are out of season but somehow still overstocked at the grocery store). On a hot day or a cool evening, this plate whispers sweet summertime into your ears with refined balsamic and strips of basil that wilt on impact with the hot veggies. Use good balsamic vinegar and sprinkle it on with deliberation, or get out the eyedropper and splurge for New Mexico’s only authentic 12-year aged balsamic from Old Monticello Organic Farm. It’s pricey, but a drop of the stuff has the flavor of entire bottles of cheap imposters (I’m not kidding about the eyedropper). Buy the vinegar from their website (www.organicbalsamic.com) or from the farm store at Los Poblanos Inn in Albuquerque’s North Valley. 3 pounds summer squash, sliced lengthwise in 1/2-inch strips 3 teaspoons olive oil Salt Black pepper, freshly ground Aged balsamic vinegar Handful of basil leaves, cut in chiffonade

For salad: 2 heads radicchio, quartered to the core 3 teaspoons olive oil 2 ears fresh sweet corn 1/4 cup pinon Salt For the dressing, combine vinegars, shallot, and salt and pepper. Allow to macerate for 5 minutes. Whisk in the olive oil just before dressing the salad. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Keep the cornhusks attached but peel them back and remove the silk before covering the corn up with the husk again. Soak the ears in water for 10 minutes. Brush the radicchio with olive oil.

Pre-heat the grill to medium-high heat. Brush the zucchini on both sides with olive oil, then season liberally with salt and pepper. Grill for 3 – 4 minutes per side until softened with grill marks. Pile onto a plate before applying balsamic vinegar and basil. Serve immediately.

Grilled Corn and Radicchio Salad

Grill both the corn and the radicchio, turning as needed, about 5 – 10 minutes. Remove radicchio from grill when tender and sprinkle with salt in a serving dish. Keep corn on the grill but remove the husk to char the kernels as the corn finishes cooking, another 5 minutes. Cut the kernels off the cobs and sprinkle all over the radicchio. Top with pinon and dressing before serving.

Green Chile Skirt Steak Tacos

Inspired by the former Jazzbah restaurant Serves 6 – 8

Radicchio can be a late summer arrival, but because in-season corn is so fabulous, make a grocery store stop for the radicchio the moment you spot corn at the farmers' market. Radicchio, a bitter ball of purple, is perfectly paired with delicately rich pinon nuts and tender corn nibs. A grill’s dry heat softens both texture and potency of the leaves. Bitterness is a taste sensation not appreciated often in American foods, but this recipe might begin to change your mind. It’s a revelation of complexity, right down to the touch of balsamic vinegar as sweet counterpoint.

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

For dressing: 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon minced shallot 2 teaspoons wine vinegar 2 teaspoons olive oil Salt and pepper

Inspired by New Mexico’s ranches producing natural meats Serves 8 – 10 Several years ago I began buying locally raised meats and seafood from Fishhugger at the Los Ranchos farmers' market. Owners Kenny and Brenna are two of the nicest folks you’ll meet, glowing and happy to sell you fish they caught themselves, honey, olive oil, and beef. Find other purveyors of quality meats and fish at farmers' markets or online. New Mexico ranches offer a delicious bounty (www.eatwild.com/products/newmexico.html).

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cooking fresh The accompaniment to this entrée is well-flavored tortillas. Making your own is not difficult, but there are a few places to get really fresh and aromatic stacks of pressed masa. In Albuquerque, I adore those from Pupuseria Salvadoreno on Gibson Boulevard, thick and almost chewy, or get the thinner variety from Pro’s Ranch Market on Central Avenue. In Santa Fe, I recently fell in love with everyone’s favorite, Alicia’s Tortilleria, tucked away on a side street south of Cerrillos Road. For the steak: 1 whole skirt steak, about 2 - 3 pounds 1 teaspoon green chile powder 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

Adapted from Jane Butel, www.janebutelcooking.com Makes 2 cups Fresh salsa comes together quickly but needs a little time to mellow. The flavors start out with a harsh edge that softens over an hour or two as the garlic’s potency recedes and the onions “cook” in the acidic medium. This recipe works all summer—earlier in the season you can grill the tomatoes and use good frozen chile, later you can throw fresh chiles on the grill, too. The smokiness in this rendition is a nice change of pace from purely raw salsas or the overly roasted chipotle varieties. 4 large tomatoes, halved lengthwise 1/2 cup onion, finely chopped 2 – 4 green chiles, roasted (or 1/2 cup frozen green chiles) 2 garlic cloves, finely minced 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup cilantro, roughly chopped

For the tacos: 2 dozen fresh corn tortillas Roasted salsa (recipe follows) 1 white onion, finely chopped 1 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped 2 limes, quartered lengthwise Heat the grill to high. Rub the whole steak with the seasonings and set aside until room temperature. Grill the steak on each side for 2 minutes for medium-rare, or use a thermometer, pulling the meat off to rest just after it crosses 130˚ F. Let it sit for 5 minutes before cutting—the temperature will lower a few degrees. Slice as thinly as possible against the grain. To make tacos, grill the tortillas for 30 seconds each side on medium heat, then plate everything separately and let guests build their own version of heaven: steak, tortillas, salsa, onion, cilantro, and lime wedges.

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Roasted Salsa

On a hot grill, roast the chiles until totally blackened, turning as needed. Remove to a plastic bag while hot. Grill the tomatoes until slightly charred but only barely softening, not cooked through. Remove tomatoes to a chopping block and scoop out some of the seeds (this removes some of the excess liquid), then roughly dice the tomatoes. Once the chiles have cooled, remove from the plastic bag and pull off most of the blackened skin, then dice finely, leaving in more seeds and veins for more spice. Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Allow the flavors to combine for a minimum of 30 minutes before serving. Taste before serving and correct seasoning, if necessary.

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

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cooking fresh Cinnamon Roasted Peaches With ice cream Inspired by Nigella Lawson and Ken’s peach tree Serves 8 – 10

A friend has gatherings a few times per year, way up in Albuquerque’s sunset-friendly Northeast Heights. He supplies meat from a local barbeque joint; we bring food to share, gossip to spread, and more than a few bottles of wine. Late summer guests might leave with more food than they brought; the peach tree grows heavy with fruit, tiny and ripening. For a few days the peaches are just ripe enough to pick before the animals have a feast. We take home bags of the golf ball orbs, wondering what to do with them all. This is the answer. For the ice cream: 1 pint heavy cream, the best available 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or liqueur For the syrup: 1 cup water 1 cup dark brown sugar 2 teaspoons heavy cream 1/2 teaspoon strong ground cinnamon 2 teaspoons vanilla extract For the peaches: 8 small peaches, halved with pits removed 1 teaspoon cinnamon This is the easiest ice cream you’ll ever make, no machine needed. Sift the sugar into a cold mixing bowl and add the cream and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer, or your amazingly strong arms and a balloon whisk, until soft but nowhere near stiff. You want it a little fluffy, but not whipped cream. Spoon into a freezer container and freeze until firm (a few hours or more). For the syrup, combine water and sugar, bring to a boil, and then reduce to 1 cup. Remove from heat and whisk in cream, cinnamon, and vanilla. Keep warm or rewarm before serving. Grill the peaches on a medium-heat grill until tender and almost gooey. Start the peaches face down for about 5 minutes, then turn face up until they start to sweat. Sprinkle with cinnamon when nearly done. Remove to serving dishes while still warm. To serve, plate one or two warm peach halves with a scoop of ice cream, then drizzle with syrup. Once upon a time, Andrea Feucht woke up to the realization that she was obsessed with food and was a decent writer, to boot. For nearly a decade she has been writing freelance, crafting tales of food personalities and casting a critical eye on restaurants. Her work appears locally and nationally, and her first book was published in October by Globe Pequot Press: The Food Lovers' Guide to Santa Fe, Albuquerque and Taos. Find Andrea and her book at fb.me/foodloversnm.

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edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

liquid assets

Sweet and Sour Summer By Ashlie Hughes ∙ Photo by Stephanie Cameron

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

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Each season brings its own unique, often time-honored libations. If pressed to pick a favorite, I would choose summer's offerings. The heat renders every beverage more refreshing and an endless assortment of local, seasonal fruits and herbs liven up any cocktail. When it comes to deciding among summer's tempting libations, there is one important rule—keep it simple with fewer ingredients and less prep time. Who wants to wait days for some infusion to be ready? Save the time-consuming cocktails for the fall and winter. These three boozy beverages will effortlessly and delightfully quench your summer thirst.

Caipirinha One of my favorite warm weather refreshments is the Caipirinha, Brazil’s national cocktail. Made with cachaça, fresh lime juice, and sugar, it’s served over cracked ice, offering a tropical and truly delicious drink. Produced only in Brazil, cachaça is distilled from the fermented juice of pressed sugarcane. What’s so enjoyable about a Caipirinha is that you can add local, seasonal fruit such as peaches, blackberries, raspberries, or any fruit you may have growing in your backyard or find at the farmers' market. The result will be worth it. Katie Nelson, former head bartender of the Columbia Room in Washington, DC gave the following recipe to me. Serves 1

pairs well with just about anything. Feel free to experiment with your favorite ginger ale, ginger beer, or even homemade lemonade. Traditional garnishes include cucumber, strawberries, orange, lemon, lime, and the herb borage. Create your own masterpiece by adding seasonal berries, mint, basil, or any other goodies you may have growing in your garden. Serves 1 2 ounces Pimm's No.1 Ginger beer (I recommend Fever-Tree), ginger ale, or lemon-lime soda Juice from half a lemon Fill a glass with ice, add the Pimm's liqueur, and top off with ginger beer, ginger ale, or lemon-lime soda. Add fresh lemon juice and stir. Garnish with your choice of seasonal fruit or herbs.

Pisco Sour A Pisco sour tastes like summer in a glass—with ingredients that include Pisco, fresh lemon or lime juice, and egg whites. Pisco, a grape brandy that hails from both Peru and Chile, can have flavor profiles that range from fruit and flowers to smoke and earth. It’s not surprising that both countries consider the Pisco sour to be their national drink. Serves 1 1 1/2 ounces Pisco (I like Macchu Pisco) 3/4 ounce fresh lemon or lime juice (both taste good, but I prefer lime juice) 1 ounce simple syrup 1 egg white Angostura bitters

2 ounces cachaça (if you can get your hands on a bottle of Leblon, do so!) 1 ounce simple syrup (adjust to taste) Half a lime, quartered 3 – 4 pieces additional fruit of your choice (I recommend using peaches. If using berries, you may want to strain out the seeds) Fill your drinking glass with cracked ice. Add lime quarters, fruit, and simple syrup to your shaker. Muddle and add cachaça. Fill the shaker with ice from your glass, cap it, and shake vigorously. Uncap the shaker and pour all of the contents back into your glass. To make cracked ice, hold the ice cube in your hand and hit with a muddler or spoon several times.

Add all of the ingredients (minus the bitters), and shake very hard for a minute or two. Add several cubes of ice, and shake again. Strain into a chilled glass and add a dash or two of Angostura bitters. A note about ice: Instead of using freezer-made ice cubes, I use a square ice cube mold and filtered water. Once the ice is frozen I transfer the cubes to a plastic bag to keep unwanted freezer smells out. This has made a huge difference in the quality of my cocktails.

Pimm's Cup I have spent many summer evenings sipping on a Pimm’s Cup, a refreshing concoction made with Pimm’s No.1, a gin-based herbal liqueur from England. The traditional recipe calls for Pimm’s and a combination of lemonlime soda, but my personal recipe calls for the addition of Fever-Tree’s ginger beer and fresh lemon juice. It’s cooling, slightly spicy, and

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Ashlie Hughes is a food, travel, and cocktail writer currently living in Santa Fe. When she’s not writing, she enjoys playing home bartender, making wine with her husband’s family, and daydreaming about traveling the world. You can view her website at www.ashliehughes.com.

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

Urban Foraging By Amelia White

Urban foraging takes me back to the days of picking blackberries on the way home from school, or by the river with my mom on sunny summer days. We always looked for fun things to do with no money, and berry picking could provide a whole afternoon of entertainment and sustenance, completely free. It gave us the sense that the world is a place of abundance, ripe for the picking. Some of the wild foods I grew up picking simply don't grow here, but Northern New Mexico has plenty of treasures to forage. Berries and mushrooms and moisture-loving herbs are tricky to find; even the common dandelion is not so common because we don't all have grassy lawns. But New Mexico’s many ecosystems, from the acequias that run through our river valleys to the high mountains, offer a huge variety of wild foods if you know where to look. And as urbanites, we plant many wonderful edibles in our cities that would not survive in the wild. Rosehips – These bright red fruits develop after roses finish blooming; one fresh rosehip contains much more vitamin C than an orange. I've seen plenty of sprawling landscape roses (such as rugosa, climbing

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

roses, and dog roses) around Albuquerque and Santa Fe that produce tons of rosehips. You can pick wild rosehips in the mountains, but be aware, if you take too many it may deprive animals of important winter food. Remove all the seeds and hairs inside with a spoon; these can irritate the digestive tract. Porcini Mushrooms, or Cepes – These highly flavorful mushrooms grow near streambeds in the mountains around Santa Fe in August. Your best chance to find them is after a rain, and they typically grow in close association with spruce, pine, fir, or oak trees. They are a prize, but consult a good mushroom guidebook (it helps to compare multiple references) for positive identification so you don’t eat something poisonous—other species may look similar to the novice. Stone Fruits – Neglected fruit trees around town can be a great source for apricots, plums, and peaches. Occasionally, public landscape plantings are home to fruit trees. The tiny fruits of those ornamental red-leafed plum trees make a very nice cordial or jam. Ask tenants or property owners about picking fruit. Often neighbors welcome help to harvest abundant amounts of stone fruit.

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Rosehips

Oregon Grape or Holly-Leaved Barberry – This plant has many names and comes in a tall variety (Mahonia aquifolium) as well as a creeping variety (Mahonia repens or nervosa). Even its scientific name is up for debate: some botanists call both varieties Berberis aquifolium. Both grow in landscapes around town, as well as in shady areas of mountain forests. They have small, bright yellow flowers in early summer, followed by dark purple berries, high in vitamin C. Use these sour berries as a seasoning in recipes that call for barberries (most commonly used in Persian dishes), or make into jam.

Canyon Grapes or Other Decorative Grapevines – Urban and rural property owners plant many wild grape varieties to cover fences or arbors. These grapes are edible, but often quite sour. They make wonderful fresh grape juice; if they are sour, use this in place of vinegar or lemon juice in recipes, like verjuice (juice made from unripe grapes) or grape must (grape juice used for making wine). To make grape juice, use a food mill, not your hands, to crush them because they may contain tartaric acid that can severely irritate skin. Let the juice sit overnight, the tartrate will settle out as a greyish solid.

Rosehip Syrup

Rosehip Barbecue Sauce

For a great summer cordial, add this deliciously tart syrup to soda water. It's also wonderful for poaching rhubarb or other fruits. Even pour it into an ice cream maker for a sorbet. Studies have shown that the cooking described in this recipe (essentially the same as one published by the British Ministry of Food during WWII) only reduces the vitamin C content of fresh rosehips by about 15 percent.

As a kid I was mystified by where barbecue sauce came from. The blend of flavors tasted like no actual food I'd ever eaten. As an adult I finally learned that the stuff we bought at the store is simply made from tomatoes, vinegar, salt, and sugar, with a variety of spices. The recipes for many barbecue sauces are similar to those for ketchup, just with different proportions and spices. This sauce is great with any type of grilled meat or potatoes.

Makes about 3 cups

Makes 2 quarts

2 pounds rosehips 6 cups water 1 cup sugar Roughly chop the rosehips and bring to a boil in 4 cups of water. Simmer 20 minutes and strain through 2 layers of cheesecloth, pouring the first half cupful back through to make sure any hairs are removed. Add rosehips and 2 cups water back into the pan and simmer 20 minutes more. Strain as before. Mix with the liquid from the previous step, then add the sugar. Simmer until reduced to about 3 cups. Bottle in small jars so that when you open one it doesn't spoil before you can use it all.

4 quarts ripe rosehips 1 cup water 2 medium onions, minced 1 clove garlic, minced 1 tablespoon mustard powder 1/2 teaspoon allspice 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon celery seed 1 cup white vinegar 1/2 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup brown sugar Cut each rosehip in half, trim the ends, and remove all the seeds and fine hairs with a small spoon. Combine rosehips, onions, garlic, and spices in a saucepan and simmer for about 20 minutes, until everything is very soft. Puree with a hand blender, then add vinegar, salt and sugar. Simmer for a few more minutes, then add seasoning and more sugar as desired.

Blogger Amy White is totally obsessed with vegetables and fruits. Amy can be found on www.ediblesantafe.com and on her blog, www.veggieobsession.com.

Cycle of Stone Fruit

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edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

your local

marketplace

We grew up knowing great coffee. New Mexico Pie Company creates handmade sweet and savory pies. You can find us at the Downtown Growers' Market all season long. www.nmpiecompany.com ∙ 505-506-2928

Heidi’s Raspberry Jam starts with hand selected raspberries grown in Corrales. The jam is made in small batches, by hand with loving care. www.heidisraspberryfarm.com ∙ 505-898-1784

Experience an authentic coffee tradition spanning three generations. Master-roasted to enhance the aroma and flavor of hand-picked Colombian beans. www.villamyriam.com ∙ 505-814-1599

All the Right Ingredients • DeliciousNM.com

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

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delicious new mexico

Cultivating a Valley of Wealth Taos Valley Honey

By Brandon Stam ∙ Photo by Stephanie Cameron Last summer while in Taos looking for food producers to connect to new markets, I ended up in Cid’s Market hunting for the most unique and interesting food products I could find. The jar of Taos Valley Honey jumped off the shelf at me and I could tell immediately that this was honey in its purest form. After my taste buds confirmed my suspicions, I gave Jason Goodhue a call to see if he had time to tell me about his honey. We met up later that afternoon and I could tell instantly he was a very amiable person with an intriguing story to tell.

apprehensive even though I wore a full bee suit. After watching Jason’s young daughter, Angelina, interact with the bees without any protection I knew I had nothing to fear. Jason, also a gifted teacher, enjoys instructing others about bees as much as he enjoys beekeeping. His passion has led him to mentor young people in his community about bees and beekeeping, including classes during a summer camp with the Field Institute of Taos.

Jason, originally from Leadville, Colorado, was first exposed to beekeeping through his uncles, when he was a kid. When asked how he ended up in Taos, Jason joked “the wind took me here.” This actually isn’t far from the truth, in his early twenties his car broke down near Taos and he never left. Working various jobs to pay the bills, he came across an opportunity at Questa Honey Farms. His previous experience with beekeeping gave him just enough knowledge to land the job. He started out in the warehouse, but before long he was out in the fields becoming a full-fledged beekeeper. Jason has a natural affinity for beekeeping, which ultimately led him to start Taos Valley Honey eight years ago. The process of starting Taos Valley Honey took several years. The bees had to produce enough honey for Jason to harvest reasonable quantities to sell. He has sold his honey in stores around Taos for about five years—most of his initial business was at the Taos Farmers Market and other local events. Now Jason sells his product at Cid’s, Taos Herb Company, and other stores in and around Taos, as well as the Farmers Market. In addition the Honey Cottage in Colorado Springs, Colorado sells and ships his honey around the country. Taos Valley Honey is unique for two reasons: Jason uses no antibiotics on his hives; and he cold processes the honey, meaning it retains all the original enzymes, resulting in a true raw honey. The FDA definitions for honey are vague and allow a wide variety of syrupy substances to be labeled honey—most commercially available honey has been heated, strained, or watered down. Taos Valley Honey also has a distinctive flavor as the nectar comes from wildflowers, meaning it is a polyfloral honey. Often grocery store honey comes from multiple sources that are blended together to achieve certain desired flavor characteristics while wildflower honey can differ from year to year in taste and aroma depending on what blooming plants bees can access. A couple weeks later, Jason took me to a farm just south of Taos to collect honey, where I experienced beekeeping and the intricacies of bees, firsthand and for the first time. My bee encounter made me somewhat

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Taos Valley Honey bees produce honey all over Taos—Jason has cultivated relationships with landowners in and around the area for ideal environments for his hives. He uses both Langstroth (the white rectangular hives) and top-bar hives (the long canoe-shaped hives), which are barely noticeable on the vast landscapes they inhabit. Jason really enjoys these connections with landowners as they present opportunities to educate them about the biodiversity benefits bees and other pollinators offer to both agricultural and wild landscapes. In addition to his work as a teacher and mentor, he continues to expand his company by getting his products into more retail locations, building partnerships with other businesses and property owners, and selling honeybees to people looking to get into beekeeping. Find Jason and learn more about Taos Valley Honey at the Taos Farmers Market, or on Facebook. Brandon Stam helps cultivate food entrepreneurs around New Mexico as a Project Manager for Delicious New Mexico.

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

memoir

Strawberry Fields Forever By Elizabeth Grant Thomas ∙ Photo by Carole Topalian

Every year on the last day of school, my mother would leave work early, collect me at Scenic Hill Elementary, and take me on a special outing. Because it was the middle of June and peak strawberry season in Seattle, we usually ventured no farther than the local you-pick berry farm. Strawberry picking was hot, dirty work; my haunches always burned the next day from squatting for what seemed like hours in the dusty field between the tidy green rows. There was nevertheless something thrilling about spending an afternoon in a berry patch as the midday sun bore down, searching for bright red fruit amongst the shrubby plants, my mother working quietly at my side, with only the plunk of berries into a bucket marking the time. I ate as many strawberries as I gathered, their ruby juice in between my fingers, the corners of my mouth stained and sticky. Then we would take our haul home, still radiating warmth from the fields, and my mother would make freezer jam that my parents and I savored all year, an especially satisfying treat during the coldest months when fresh strawberries were a distant dream. Making jam, too, was sticky work that involved constantly stirring molten sugar and chopped berries over a hot stove. But my favorite way to enjoy the berries was au naturel, gutting the stems from the pulpy flesh with bare fingers while perched next to my mother on the kitchen counter as she stirred and stirred. On these nights, wilted from heat and hard work, our dinner often consisted of nothing more than a heaping bowl of strawberries. While the jam cooled in glistening glass jars we were surrounded by a symphony of satisfying pops as the lids sealed. The most extravagant thing about picking berries was having my mother all to myself for an entire weekday afternoon. She worked six days a week as a cake decorator, and while she made it a priority to be home by the time I arrived back from school, she was rarely fully present. At a time when “work-life balance” wasn’t yet a part of our cultural vernacular, my mother strived to do it all, all at once. She worked the ubiquitous second shift and elevated the art of multitasking to new heights, which made her seem perpetually frazzled and vaguely removed, floating just above and beyond the here and now. My mother was hardly ever seen without her clipboard, each stained

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

and battered page a to-do list dedicated to a different sphere of her life. She relished nothing more than crossing off items in an inky flourish. She was a woman who got things done; but these annual outings were different. Threading a hand through the fuzzy, clubbed leaves of a strawberry plant, there was nothing else to do and no other place to be. Time slowed, obligations fluttered away, the moment was fully attended to. Forget school field trips; this was the end-of-year ritual I looked forward to most.

Threading a hand through the fuzzy, clubbed leaves of a strawberry plant, there was nothing else to do and no other place to be. On a whim, my mother bought an old-fashioned, hand-crank ice cream machine at a yard sale. I didn’t know what it was, but she explained how it worked: a metal cylinder, which contained the liquid base for the ice cream, sat inside a bright blue bucket; a plank with a crank attached sat astride the bucket. Some combination of rock salt and ice was packed into the bucket to keep the cylinder cool while it spun. Until that moment I assumed that ice cream came from waxy cartons in the frozen goods aisle of the grocery store. Learning that I could make it with my own hands was akin to picking strawberries and making jam: a revelation. That year, instead of visiting the berry patch, my mother suggested I invite a few friends to join us for a celebratory picnic. We piled into the back of our chestnut Mercury Grand Marquis and set off for Earthworks Park, acres of undulating green hills and swampy moats just a few minutes from our elementary school. My mother explained to us girls that making homemade ice cream was a lot of work, and that we each needed to take turns spinning the crank. At first we fought over the machine, jockeying for position. But our scrawny arms grew tired quickly, the novelty swiftly waning, and soon my mother was left to finish the lion’s share of the work.

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My friends and I pranced barefoot through the grass, laughing, the late afternoon sun beating down on our little party. The cares of the school year had been fully cast off; the promise of summer stretched ahead, languorous and wild. In my rapture I caught a glimpse of my mother, furiously cranking the handle, the soft paddles of flesh on the underside of her arm gently quaking. I don’t remember much about that day. I don’t remember who the other girls were, or what we ate for lunch, but I clearly recall the collective wonder we felt when my mother lifted the lid on the cylinder to reveal its contents, cream and sugar transformed into a perfectly soft blanket of pale vanilla ice cream. As my mother scooped the velvety ice cream into Styrofoam bowls and drizzled each one with a stream of Hershey’s chocolate syrup from the can, I knew in an instant that she was an alchemist, someone who could spin something simple into pure magic, the sum much greater than its parts. At the time I wasn’t aware just how much magic my mother wove into the everyday fabric of my life with these simple acts of transformation. They communicated that she was right there with me, listening and watching, assuring me that I mattered most. Although my mother has been gone eleven years, when I think about her turning the crank on an ice cream machine, or hunched over a hot stove making strawberry jam, or the thousands of other small miracles that she performed as my mother, I am reminded that, just as she could turn an ordinary experience into something extraordinary, so too did these acts transform me into the person I am today. In those kitchens and parks and strawberry fields, I not only learned how to make things for myself, but how to embrace the small moments of grace and wonder that our everyday lives quietly offer up if we simply pay attention. Elizabeth Grant Thomas is a nonfiction writer who contributes regularly to edible Santa Fe. She can be found on Twitter @egrantthomas, or at her website, www. elizabethgrantthomas.com.

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edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

Corrales

destination neighborhood By Lisa Brown · Illustration by Stephanie Cameron

In the seventies, when the Village of Corrales had only one paved road—that would be the one through the middle—the Village was a destination renowned for its restaurants, attracting visitors from international shores. Five-star rated Casa Vieja was in its heyday, serving Northern Italian benchmarks such as tortellini en brodo, Romano salad, pasta carbonara, and veal saltimbocca. The Territorial House thrived; crowds indulged in New Mexican specialties, and, on the cavernous enclosed patio, savored the rich vocals of such local celebrities as Linda Cotton. There was a gourmet place called Khansson's Mongolian Barbeque, or you could go casual at the Country Barbeque and Tijuana Bar. By the eighties a smattering of mom-and-pops arose where you could get really good food— from pancakes at the Desert Rose to French country cookery at the Corrales Inn. Long before any of that existed, the ancestors of modern pueblos inhabited the area of the Rio Grande Valley now known as Corrales for centuries before the Spanish conquistadores arrived in the 1600s. Early inhabitants mostly farmed and families divided land in long strips stretching from the mesa on the west, east to the river. This provided an opportunity to grow fruit and vegetables in the irrigated huertas, or fertile areas, and share a communal grazing area on the western highlands where Rio Rancho now sprawls. This land use pattern is still in evidence today, immortalizing Corrales’ agricultural heritage. Italian and French settlers brought wine grapes to the area in the late 1700s and vine-

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

yards thrived, giving rise to some of the first wines made in New Mexico. Today the historic building that housed Casa Vieja stands empty and in disrepair, suffering from neglect by its out-of-state owner. The T-House—more recently Rancho de Corrales—burned down last year, leaving “the old hanging tree” as the only relic of the former saloon in the vast space the fire left behind. The Khansson's building now houses Village Pizza, a local mainstay that’s employed generations of Corrales teenagers. The Pereas reincarnated the Tijuana Bar after closing down the Country Barbeque. Corrales still has a lot of dirt roads. When the local gas station and garage re-opened, they threw a party with homegrown boys playing in bands in the parking lot. At Fueling Corrales, you can also fuel your belly. Start here on a Sunday morning circular cruise heading north through Corrales, and get a strong cup of Albuquerque’s own Michael Thomas brew and a locally made vegan burrito for under five bucks. Jesse Black-Garcia, who runs the shop with his brother and garage-owner Micah, the organic mechanic, subscribes to a grassroots philosophy for a healthy local economy. He carries handmade, locally grown products from eggs to chocolate, as well as providing a venue for distributing music, art, and garments made by locals. No Snickers bars here. From Fueling Corrales, take your coffee to the Corrales Growers’ Market just north and sip while you stock up on a wide variety of

produce grown by Corrales farmers. The Village’s Farmland Preservation Commission supports new farmers and partners with the New Mexico Land Conservancy to help landowners protect farmland from development. A bit further on, you might stop at Evelyn Losack’s Curtis Farms—she’s directly descended from one of the original Italian settlers—to pick up some apples or jam, paying on the honor system. If you opt for only the coffee at the gas station, you have another chance for a burrito at the Growers’ Market (one more traditional to New Mexico) with eggs and carne. Or you could save room for a sit-down comfort breakfast at Hannah and Nate’s, a little north of Village Pizza. If you’re more in the mood for a salad and a glass of wine, find a spot on the Indigo Crow’s patio across the street instead. Either way, consider during your meal returning to Corrales on a weekday to visit ARCA Organics, just east of Village Pizza. The farm grows wheatgrass in a greenhouse, as well as about five acres of organic fruits and vegetables which it sells mostly wholesale to help support the services provided by ARCA, an organization that serves people with developmental disabilities. Here you will also find La Paloma greenhouses, where ARCA employs individuals it serves by growing houseplants—mostly geraniums and poinsettias seasonally. ARCA Organics opens its farm stand for an hour each weekday, so if you’re interested in picking up some fresh produce from the farm and seeing the site, check the website for hours and information.

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Take the opportunity when you come back to stop for lunch for the only authentic sabor de Corrales still available to the public. Perea’s isn’t open on Sundays—and they don’t take credit cards. The red and green are just that—chile— and the huevos are served with posole on the side. John mixes a stellar margarita, testament to the legacy of his father, TC. Continue on your tour north past the Mercado de Maya to Corrales Bistro and Brewery for a local ale, live music, and an amazing view of the Sandia mountain range. It wasn’t just the food, but also the arts that visitors to Corrales enjoyed historically—the natural beauty and architecture drew artists to the village. Back at the Mercado (book-ended by Ambiente on one end and Stevie’s Happy Bikes on the other) don’t miss a visit to the Corrales Bosque Gallery. Member artist-owned and run, the gallery houses an eclectic mix of paintings, ceramics, sculpture, and jewelry. Then travel north again to Old Church Road (across from Wagner’s farm stand) and go west to see the historic Old San Ysidro Church and the Albuquerque Museum’s Gutierrez-Minge house across the road, and behold what inspires local artists. Time your trip to arrive at 2pm on the second Sunday of the month and get a tour. Additional times are posted on the museum’s website. Follow Old Church Road south from the camposanto, the cemetery, and you will come upon Milagro Vineyards, one of several carrying on the tradition of winemaking in Corrales. Call first to set up a tour and tasting unless you’ve come on an event day. Continue on Old Church Road to its end and turn left at La Entrada. Before you reach Corrales Road you’ll see the local public library on your left—find respite in the park before making the journey back to where you came from.

Lisa Brown is a water rights lawyer-turnedfarmer who lives and works in Corrales, New Mexico. You can contact her at lisadb@q.com.

Neighborhood Guide Albuquerque Museum’s Gutierrez-Minge House www.albuquerquemuseum.org Ambiente www.ambientecorrales.com ARCA Organics www.arcaorganics.org Corrales Bistro and Brewery www.cbbistro.com Corrales Bosque Gallery www.corralesbosquegallery.com Corrales Growers’ Market www.corralesgrowersmarket.com Frontier Mart www.frontiermart.com Fueling Corrales www.fuelingcorrales.com

Hip HipChik ChikFarms Farms

Hannah and Nate’s www.hannahandnates.com Indigo Crow www.indigocrowcafe.com Milagro Vineyards www.milagrowine.com New Mexico Land Conservancy www.nmlandconservancy.org Perennial Delights www.perennialdelights.com Stevie’s Happy Bikes www.stevieshappybikes.com The Source Realty www.thenewmexicosource.com Village Pizza www.villagepizzacorrales.com

Valle Encantado ValleEncantado

valleencantado.org valleencantado.org

rrryy berrr spbe Rasp He Heididi’si’sRa FaFarm rm

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farm gonzale flowerfarm gonzalessflower CORRALES GROWERS’ MARKET Sundays 9AM-12PM, April-November Wednesdays 3PM-6PM, July-October Winter Market 11AM-1PM First Sunday of the month, December-April

4499B Corrales Rd, Corrales

4000 CORRALES ROAD SOUTH OF THE POST OFFICE

Chris Sandoval, Qualifying Broker / Owner

P: 505.344.3610 | C: 505.991.5818 | E: Cthesource@aol.com

www.TheNewMexicoSource.com

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

Homemade Rising By Lorelei Kellogg ∙ Photo by Stephanie Cameron

In today’s highly synthetic world, we don’t always know what is in what we are eating. Ingredient lists for staples as basic as bread are paragraphs swimming with unpronounceable, unknown compounds. Avid label readers soon learn that almost anything store-bought (with the exception of fresh fruits and vegetables, raw meats, and some dairy items) contains chemical additives, whether to provide shelf stability, texture, or flavor. Concerns about GMOs, attention deficit disorder, allergies, gluten intolerance, autism, and general wellbeing have coalesced to create a confusing, sometimes contradictory, list of parenting do’s and dont’s. My own experience with label reading and ingredient checking evolved over time as I tried harder and harder to make sure that the food I was putting in my son's growing body was as nutritious, unpolluted, and safe as possible. The more labels I read, the less I liked them. On a recent trip to North Carolina to visit family, I became acutely aware of my preference for making food from scratch. During our visit there, nearly all of the food we ate came out of a box, a jar, or a convenient microwavable package. By the end of the week-long stay my five-year-old was so tired of eating processed goods he was nearing hunger strike status, and my own love affair with food was in desperate need of couples counseling. I understand why so many people fall into the habit of eating this kind of food. It’s convenient, quick, and seemingly inexpensive. Food shouldn’t be simply something you have to do to move on with your day, food is who we are. What we put in our bodies creates us, rebuilds us, and sustains us. I enjoy cooking so it wasn’t a huge leap for me to go from making dishes like lasagna with store-bought ingredients, to making the pasta sauce, noodles, and even the cheese from scratch. As I learned more about the basics, I gained a deeper understanding of the food I made. A person’s relationship

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

with food is one of the most intimate relationships they will ever have—we consume our food, digest it, and it becomes part of us. When you break it down to its bare bones and expose all of its parts, you begin to see food as something with a life of its own. This becomes especially obvious when working with things like sourdough starters that actually expand and explode before your eyes. A good relationship with food is built on respect for the amazing living thing about to become dinner. Making things from scratch fundamentally re-connects us to our food. It personalizes it, through process it becomes a part of us, and it gives a sense of accomplishment and independence. When you nurture and feed a sourdough starter— daily, weekly, monthly—it becomes more than just bread dough, it becomes meditation. The knowledge that you can make bread any time you have flour is liberating. Learning to cook from scratch encourages self-sufficiency and ultimately creates a greater sense of security. It fills you with the knowledge that you can care for yourself, for the wellbeing of your family, and your community. Breaking bread with someone is meaningful when you create the food you share. You share your meditation—it isn’t some store bought loaf made by a machine and containing the unpronounceable. Each person’s relationship with food, each journey of reconnection and re-learning how food is made, is as unique as the family recipe for grandma’s meatloaf. Knowledge of food is the knowledge of the human race and cooking is the legacy of human intervention, discovery, creativity, and, fundamentally, propagation. We are what we eat, and it behooves us to re-learn and revive the knowledge of how to feed ourselves. Lorelei Kellogg is a stay-at-home mom with a passion for food, gardening, and goats. She writes about what she refers to as her "urban farm," i.e. her backyard, and loves to share both recipes and catastrophes.

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A tavola non si invecchia.

(At the table with good friends you do not grow old.)

NEIGHBORHOOD TRATTORIA

Lunch M-F 11-2 路 Dinner Nightly from 5 322 Garfield Street, Santa Fe 505.995.9595 路 AndiamoSantaFe.com

Rio Bravo Trading Co.

411 South Guadalupe St. | Santa Fe N.M 505.982.0230

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edible Santa Fe 路 Summer 2013

Home Grown & Edible Fundraiser July 28, 2013 Located in Santa Fe 9am—2pm

August 11, 2013 Located in Corrales 11am—5pm

KITCHEN GARDEN & COOP TOUR

Premiere Sponsor

Supporting Sponsor

Illustration by Paul Navrot 2012 Kithchen Garden & Coop Tour

Join Home Grown New Mexico and edible SANTA FE for our Third Annual Kitchen Garden & Coop Tour in Santa Fe and the newly added tour in Corrales. Our tour is self-paced and will feature six locations with gardens, home farms, backyard chickens, bees, solar power, water catchment and more. Attendees will be able to discuss the features with the homeowners.

$35 per ticket at Brown Paper Tickets, Kids under 12 are free Early Bird Discount: Use promo code EGGPLANT to get 50% off before July 1.

Homegrownnewmexico.org

Home Grown New Mexico By Sarah Sheesley Amy Hetager plants her tomatoes outside in mid-April, a solid month before Santa Fe’s average last frost. She watches the weather and knows exactly how to cover and uncover to get the seedlings through the extreme temperature fluctuations that come with spring in New Mexico. This blend of tenacious enthusiasm and practical experience led to the founding of Home Grown New Mexico. In the spring of 2011, Amy and a handful of garden-hungry friends started an organization to create educational events about growing, raising, cooking, and preserving your own food. They hosted an open-to-thepublic potluck to test the waters and start a conversation over dinner. That simple gesture brought more than fifty guests and enough momentum to grow into a committed board of directors, a core group of teachers, and an ever-expanding network of relationships with community gardens, city officials, businesses, schools, outreach programs, and individuals who care about healthy, local food. Their first Kitchen Garden and Coop Tour drew about 350 people, a sign that there’s plenty of interest and enough expertise to go around. Santa Fe has an active community of backyard chicken raisers, beekeepers, artisan gardeners, and homesteading pros. “We wanted to unite everybody,” Amy says, "to strengthen everyone’s efforts." Regular potlucks in the Whole Foods Community Room have remained an important event for people to share ideas and swap recipes. Albuquerque welcomes Home Grown New Mexico this year with the inaugural Corrales Kitchen Garden and Coop Tour on August 11, making it easier for folks in the area to peek into their neighbors’ backyards for inspiration and new techniques. The Santa Fe tour is slated for July 28, and a schedule of classes in both Santa Fe and Albuquerque is available online. This summer’s lineup includes solar cooking, pollinator planting, all-grain beer brewing, food preservation, herbal remedies, and much more. Classes are free, Amy says, because a primary goal is to help people save money at home by learning to grow and make things themselves. Passionate and energetic volunteers and donations support this work.

The growth of Home Grown New Mexico calls for a gardening metaphor—the fruits that come from a tiny seed, or maybe even conjure “Jack (Amy) and the Beanstalk.” But the group's mission might be better compared with a humble fungi—mycelium, to be exact. Why? Because “it’s all about the soil, baby!” as board member, teacher, and artisan gardener Janine Cabossel likes to say. Mycelia are what mycologist Paul Stamets calls the “soil magicians”—the underground membrane—a web that branches out to connect nutrients between plants, breakdown organic material, and help soil retain moisture. You may only notice the mycelium by its fruit, a mushroom springing out of the earth, but a healthy network of mycelia means fertile ground. Amy and the Home Grown New Mexico team know the importance of good dirt. This spring a group of volunteers visited the senior housing residence of St. Elizabeth Shelter bearing compost, manure, and tips on amending the soil organically to improve garden production. They will follow up with classes on planting, tending, and cooking with their harvest. This produce will enhance their dinner tables and supplement meals for the homeless at the Santa Fe Resource and Opportunity Center. Rosario Gonzales, volunteer coordinator at St. Elizabeth’s, says that for these seniors to have this kind of support is significant—it gives them a sense of belonging, pride in accomplishment, and the ability to help others in need. “We should all be interconnected. We should all be entangled,” says Janine Cabossel. This kind of community-building increases awareness and demand for local, healthy food across New Mexico. Home Grown New Mexico is grassroots (or mycelia) at its finest. For info on tours and classes visit www.homegrownnewmexico.org. Sarah Sheesley is a freelance writer and MFA student in Creative Nonfiction at UNM. She is an avid gardener, home cook, and general food enthusiast. Below: Amy preps volunteers for the Kitchen Garden and Coop Tour.

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edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

A Place to Eat Together By Erin Elder

Since 2009, I’ve cooperatively run an off-the-grid artist residency and building program near Tres Piedras, New Mexico called Practice Liberating Art through Necessary Dislocation (PLAND). Each summer we brings artists, students, innovators, and others into a direct experience of limited natural resources, encouraging participants to marry survival-based goals with big ideas and experimental methods through on-site projects and work parties that cultivate PLAND as a constantly evolving outpost. The building of a main, shared house is its real and conceptual centerpiece. For years, the three of us—my sister, a friend, and I—had talked about starting something that merged collectivism, land, and art-making. When the opportunity arose to purchase a tiny piece of land on the Taos mesa, we took the leap. The views and the arid beauty of the place deeply intrigued us, and we longed to teach ourselves how to build something substantial, like a house. We saw great potential for experimentation and innovation in this region where building codes are not widely enforced and a legacy of do-it-yourself homesteaders have created what feels like one of the last truly free places in the United States. Tres Piedras was once a boomtown since bust. When the railroad ran nearby and logging was a major industry, the town boasted all the usual amenities, plus a roller-skating rink and an opera house. In the

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

ensuing century, things changed. According to 2009 estimates, Tres Piedras was home to just over 1,000 people with a median income of $20,000 annually. Sparsely populated, with an estimated 1.4 people per square mile, nearly all commerce had left town. The only remaining public spaces were the post office, ranger station, and Seventh Day Adventist Church; the nearest gas, food, or medical attention was, at that time, thirty or more miles in any direction. In truth, many uncounted people reside on the Taos mesa and the median income may be far less than official figures. A lot of folks take refuge in affordable land and lax regulations to live off-grid and in isolation, building ad hoc homes from trailers, buses, and found or cheap materials. The community is a loose-knit collection of people who relish their privacy and made the decision to live off-grid for a variety of financial, spiritual, political, or personal reasons. When we moved to Tres Piedras, we recognized that through radical yet mundane activities our neighbors were living out a particular version of the American Dream. With PLAND, we wanted to expose selected participants to this version of life, liberty, and property by creating an immersive experience of off-the-grid living and building, influenced by our new community of rugged individualists. Now in its fourth year and with an annual budget of $3,000, PLAND has become a set of multi-disciplinary programs, which offer our guests the increasingly rare opportunity to live without electricity, running water, cell phone signals,

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or convenient amenities. We see PLAND as a context in which to deeply consider daily life and the essentials of water, shelter, fire, geometry, weather, people, time, space, and food. There is a lot of meaningful talk about growing food and buying locally—particularly in the realm of DIY, alternative living— but there are many myths and fantasies about it as well. A few summers ago, a group of students from UNM’s Land Arts of the American West Program, who were on a long-term fieldtrip examining specific foodsheds, visited us. We had heard of watershed and even viewshed, but the notion of foodshed was new to us; the visit was highly educational for all involved. We talked about the community and where its food comes from, how food arrives, how food options have changed over time. We discussed the carbon footprint of shopping thirty miles away, dietary effects from a lack of fresh food, prevailing dependence on food stamps and other government subsistence, the shortage of home gardens, and the social deficit from a lack of a place to eat together. The conversation did not expose the innovative possibilities for food production we all hoped to discover, but rather outlined a very major problem: that too few good food options exist for the rural poor. PLAND is a place to solve all kinds of daily and esoteric problems, but it’s not a place to solve every problem. Early in the project, we learned that when you’re starting with a scrap piece of land with no infrastructure, no structure, no systems, nothing, you have to choose your battles—shelter, waste management, and water take priority. Foodies are always rather disappointed to learn that despite four years of building and water collection and soil reclamation and humanure composting, a garden is still (if ever) a few years away. There is certainly irony in driving forty minutes to stock up for our DIY, off-grid, alternative lifestyle but, in fact, this is the norm. For us, this kind of paradox challenges us to consider the complexities inherent in our decisions while teaching us to go easy on ourselves. Musing about “alternatives” and the grid, we’ve grown accustomed to drinking warm beer and black coffee, eating fresh produce as fast as possible, and getting creative with canned food. But then, in an instant in 2012, everything changed. The Chili Line Depot Café opened in the old skating rink just north of the intersection of highways 64 and 285. Run by locals Debbie and Gil Graves, the café offers ice, Wi-Fi, staple grocery items, espresso, fresh salads, homemade desserts, and a famous green chile cheeseburger. Much like its namesake (the rail line that serviced Tres Piedras when it was a bigger town than Taos), the café has brought more than supplies and some economy. It has provided the community a sense of relief. When you’ve spent days swinging a hammer, drinking warm beer, and reading by candlelight, few things are more nourishing than walking into a room full of folks you know, with Deb’s warm smile behind a fresh piece of pie. Erin Elder cooperatively runs PLAND with Nina Elder and Nancy Zastudil. www.itspland.org.

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edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

edible Santa Fe 路 Summer 2013

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Extreme Backyard Gardeners By Emily J. Beenen ∙ Photos by Stephanie Cameron

My guess is none of the gardeners interviewed for this article woke up and said, “Today I’m going to become an extreme gardener!” Though motivations vary from personal to political, economic to ethical, each gardener started with a variation of the following scene: a few plants, a desire to work, a willingness to fail, a greater willingness to persevere, and a responsibility to his or her land. Information on permaculture abounds, but your land, while similar to your neighbor’s or what you might read in books, has its own history and unique physicality—there’s probably no step-by-step guide for your backyard. When I spoke to these four, it was clear that a lot of patience and creativity was involved in understanding and working with their land. They all read and researched, labored and observed—and from ideas and effort came bliss and abundance.

Janna Mintz (Albuquerque) Currently a resident of the Northeast Heights of Albuquerque, Janna Mintz has grown things since she first moved to New Mexico

twenty-five years ago. When she relocated here, her father, an avid flower gardener, would send her bulbs by mail from Atlanta. Although the bulbs didn’t always survive, for Mintz his influence and shared enthusiasm for digging in the dirt thrived. Her background is in science and fine arts (she attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology before deciding to study fine arts in lieu of engineering), permaculture provided an optimal palette for the blending of these abilities. “I’m one of those left brain/right brain people. All this stuff comes together creatively,” she explained. “The garden chemistry has been fascinating to learn and I get excited about the synergistic effect of growing things together.” The holistic approach of permaculture is very satisfying to Mintz, though the concept of putting together a guild (any group of species where each provides a unique set of diverse functions that work in harmony) didn’t make much sense to her at first. Her commitment to the process yields not only an abundance of fruits, vegetables, herbs, flowers, and honey, but also an unending discovery of the intricacies of creating an ecosystem in her yard and rooftop, where she keeps two beehives. “I just like to let things grow and see what happens,” Mintz admits. Like how the amaranth grew and grew and it shaded the kale, the kale loved it, and then the birds ate it; or how she planted blue sage for the honeybees, but the bumblebees went straight for it; or the discovery that swallowtail butterflies love to lay their eggs on parsley and dill. “It’s amazing,” she said, “how you do one thing and it creates a cascade of events that leads to healthier soil and plants.” That’s the essence of permaculture—improving what you have, sharing, and creating a selfsustaining environment. Mintz also gets excited about cooking because “you don’t do all this stuff without really loving food.” She and her family eat out of the garden year-round. For a simple taco meal she harvests the tomatoes, lettuce, and cilantro. She makes kale chips, pickles, and quince bars; dries Asian pears; juices fruits and veggies she grows; and steeps lemon balm, hyssop, sage, mints, and basil in her tea. Mintz sold at the Albuquerque Northeast Farmers' & Artisans' Market last year and diversified her produce lineup with homemade calendula and comfrey salves and beeswax lip balms.

Mark Rutherford & Barbara Gilbert (Albuquerque) Janna's Keyhole Garden subscribe @ ediblesantafe.com

In response to what Mark Rutherford called “a war on our food,” six years ago he and his wife, Barbara Gilbert, went from a dusty backyard

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

to growing a veritable food forest. Tired of GMOs, roughly seventyfive percent of their current diet is raw produce. Mark says proudly, “There’s no degradation in the food we eat. It’s amazing what you can do in one small yard.” Mark and Barbara strategically maximize their quarter-acre space by growing food at three levels.

Mark & Barbara's Bees

The top level is the canopy, which in their case is mostly fruit trees. Since the purchase of the lot next door and subsequent expansion of the orchard, they now have sixty-five fruit trees. They grow everything from the humble apple to the exotic jujube tree (Chinese date), as well as many of the stone fruits that flourish in this region such as JapaneseAmerican plum, apricot, cherry, and peach. “With this many trees,” Mark explains, rubbing the belly of a 1,650-gallon cistern as if to seek enlightenment, “you have to have additional water sources.” They’ve rigged up a 4,000-gallon water harvesting system off two roofs and a chicken house, in addition to pumping and dispersing greywater from the bathtub, hot tub, sink, and washer. At the mid-level of the food forest are the bushes: chokecherries, Chinese wolfberry, service berry, Nanking cherry, as well as black and golden currant. After noticing fewer and fewer bees (as a result of a particular pesticide recently made available for residential use, they hypothesize) and lower fruit production, the couple built four hives and procured bees, and the berries and blossoms returned with flourish. Closest to the earth are lettuces, greens, and onions. Much of this gardening, Mark explains, is done in the depth of winter. In the seasonal, modular greenhouse out their backdoor, there are more greens, wheatgrass, and rows of the bottoms of celery stalks, that when soaked in water and left to their own devices, will re-sprout.

ent varieties of apples growing from this one tree? Or better yet, what about growing an almond tree onto this peach?” www.threesigma.org

Lisa Sarenduc (Santa Fe) Suitable Digs, a two-and-a-half acre “bed and kitchen” in Santa Fe owned by Lisa Sarenduc, is a feast for the senses. Beauty springs from unusual circumstances, and in Sarenduc’s case, it was a jar of green chile salsa left in the refrigerator too long from which she contracted a near fatal case of botulism ten years ago. When Sarenduc emerged from this illness four months later, she "… had a definitive moment; I knew I had to find work other than cooking for seventy hours a week." It was then she thought, "I have a good house. I bet it could support me." Thus Suitable Digs was conceived, and, at fifty-six-years-old, Sarenduc, with degrees in art and counseling psychology, found the land surrounding her to be the best work she could imagine. “I know this hard physical labor, which I crave, is what will keep me going into the future,” she mused. “I wish I had discovered it sooner. I’ve built stone terraces; I love hauling rocks; I’ve shoveled hundreds of truckloads of mulch and compost. I love the work that brings the land back to life.” It began with two vegetable gardens where ground cherries, Japanese cucumbers, rhubarb, asparagus, melons, onions, leeks, carrots, and beets were grown. Sarenduc also grows nine varietals of chiles, three of which she smokes, dries, and grinds into condiments of varying heat. Next to the beds she built a geodesic dome greenhouse where four fig trees flourish, surrounded by raised beds of Swiss chard, a huge rosemary bush, parsley, and garlic. “I’m fascinated with watching food grow, even more so than eating it,” Sarenduc said. “I get clear about

Lisa's Geodesic Dome

Mark and Barbara eschew the throwaway mentality; everything from their solar panels to the antenna on top of their roof is made with recycled material. “My wife,” Mark says, “is a good Craigslist scrounger, and I use YouTube instructional videos as a resource to help with project construction.” They also built a straw bale chicken house, where chickens nest comfortably in milk crates and the water runoff is directed to a nearby maple tree. The chicken run turns into a vegetable garden during the summer; when the chickens are finished with it, the soil is like butter. Their next project is to experiment with grafting. “Wouldn’t it be cool,” Mark ponders, “if I could have several differ-

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

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what I want in my daily life and then I find a way to make it happen— there’s no master plan.” Her aesthetic defies era, material, or theme. Beauty, she explained, is a crucial part of everything outside. Everywhere she looks she wants food growing or something pleasing to look at. Hence the magnificent outdoor table built from two-hundred-year-old barn beams under the grape arbor where white solar-powered globe lights beckon; or the sculptural wind harp made by a friend; or the pristinely refurbished 1948 Spartan trailer, complete with an “updated” composting toilet. Plum, peach, cherry, and pears trees surround the trailer. Elsewhere around the property, apple, apricot, and mulberry trees grow, along with twenty nut trees of seven different varieties (almonds are the happiest). Sarenduc’s most recent high-functioning source of beauty is a polycarbonate and timber greenhouse with three 500-gallon cisterns. “Isn’t it cool?” she beams. “It looks like an airplane hangar or some industrial building.” She thought it might house more figs, but “my daughter bought me a book on olives, and by page ten, I knew I would be growing olive trees in here.” They’ll be in good company with the already existing beds of peas, broccoli rabe, collard greens, arugula, spinach, mustard greens, and garlic. Underneath the four olive trees, Sarenduc will plant grasses and wildflowers. “It’s going to be a whole scene; that’s what turns me on,” she says, grinning, “I love that image.” www.suitabledigs.com

Lee Lee & Peter's Acequia

Lee Lee and Peter Leonard (Taos) Just a few miles from Taos Plaza, father and daughter team Peter and Lee Lee Leonard utilize their backyard garden as an educational tool to encourage others to explore and engage in sustainable agriculture. “My dad is the builder and grower,” Lee Lee explains, “and I’m the harvester, preserver, and cook.” Peter moved to Taos in 2009 from Vietnam where he’d been an educator for twenty years, and is now president and master gardener of Los Jardineros (Garden Club of Taos). He designed and built the casita behind the main house, where about one-third of the space is brimming with flowers and herbs; vibrant geraniums are everywhere and a tropical bougainvillea climbs its way around the floor to ceiling window, unaware of the arid climate. Peter is grandfather to Thatcher (whose placenta is buried under the apple tree just outside the casita), Lee Lee’s four-year-old son and his only grandchild. Lee Lee, an artist by trade, has collaborated with her father to create a series of watercolors titled A Year in Grandpa’s Garden, which follows Thatcher’s adventure through four seasons. Not only is the garden integral in every scene, she even used vegetable dyes, such as beets, to create the paints. Each of the paintings is paired with a haiku written by Peter, capturing the creative, didactic, and political elements of permaculture with brevity and beauty. The largest part of the backyard is terraced and built around a shared acequia, where peas, radishes, and onions are planted, with squash at the top so it can vine down. “Actually, squash gets planted everywhere,”

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Peter says, “squash and tomatoes all over this place.” He always had the inclination to garden; he tended a big garden in Denver before Vietnam and he remembers holding a string to mark the row for seeds to be planted in a straight, even line with his own father. “I have a different aesthetic,” he says, noting that he likes to let things reseed and watch how plants migrate around the yard, “there’s no right way, though; gardening is just patience and observation.” Greywater siphoned from the washing machine creates a small wetland area, complete with cattails (excellent water purifiers). Clover grows next to it as a cover crop, which provides much need nitrogen for the corn to be planted later in the season. Last spring, he terraced the greenhouse, and installed cisterns and a pond with lath and quickwall to create an aquaponic system. The tilapia and goldfish in the pond put nitrates in the water, which get pumped up into the grow bed, where the plants filter out the bacteria and the water drips back into the fishpond. This system nurtures the beets, chard, grapes, purple carrots, celery, and cherry tomatoes, and provides a breeze sweetened by four o’clocks planted outside his daughter’s bedroom window. www.talesofthatchergray.com, www.gardencluboftaos.org Emily Beenen is a humanities teacher and instructional coach at The Native American Community Academy as well as mother to Nina and Sam.

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

Chicken Wars The Politics of Backyard Poultry

By Nancy Zastudil ∙ Photo by Rick Scibelli

Black Sex Link With the ever-growing national interest in slow food, local food, and food security, food politics hit close to home for many New Mexicans. Urban and suburban residents seek opportunities for food production in their own backyards, including raising “pets with benefits” such as egg-producing chickens, which neighbors sometimes consider to be a nuisance. The right to be directly involved in producing food at home is challenged by changing values, urban and suburban ideals, and layers of governmental rules, resulting in agricultural and social setbacks. “Usually when someone pushes this hard for something, and the majority is not in favor of it, it’s for money,” says Claudia Daigle, referring to a group of chicken-keeping advocates whom she is fighting in order to keep what she recognizes as small-scale farming (and potential commercial profit) out of her Eldorado neighborhood. Approximately twelve miles south of Santa Fe, this upper middle-class community is embroiled in a heated debate about food production. “The problem is not with raising chickens. The problem is that

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

raising chickens in Eldorado is not allowed because we are a common interest development (CID) homeowners association (HOA) with covenants that prohibit having poultry/livestock,” Daigle says. Eldorado’s covenants, drafted in 1972 when the subdivision was built, declare: “No animals, birds or poultry shall be kept or maintained on any lot, except recognized household pets which may be kept thereon in reasonable numbers as pets for the pleasure and use of the occupants but not for any commercial use or purpose.” By not specifying what animals are recognized as pets (and therefore satisfying the exception of the covenant), the ambiguous language has caused a great deal of contention within the Eldorado community. Jan Deligans, elected to the Eldorado Community Improvement Association (ECIA) Board of Directors in 2012, says that, even with the covenants, the board has allowed chickens in Eldorado for the past forty years through board-granted variances. The ECIA recently put covenant changes to a community vote that would formally recognize chickens as pets and therefore allow them in Eldorado back-

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—he thinks the ideal of living in a strictly man-made built environment, disconnected from natural processes, is an outdated notion. yards, although only a portion of neighborhood residents turned out to vote. Those who voted did so against allowing chicken-keeping in Eldorado, but since, as Deligans explains, all lot owners must participate in order for the covenants to change, the result of the vote was moot. According to Deligans, the board acted as if the anti-chicken vote won when what they should have done is passed guidelines to clarify the original covenant once and for all. Daigle argues that proposing guidelines for the board to pass instead of requiring a full vote conflicts with the amendment process stated in the covenants. When Deligans and another board member proposed such guidelines (which she described as “strict,” including no goats and no livestock but allowing for hens only), the board at the time “hit the roof and handed the whole situation over to a lawyer.” Soon after, Deligans resigned— several other board members had stepped down during the preceding year—and the ECIA board brought a civil suit against nine Eldorado residents for keeping poultry in their yards. The defendants have since formed an organization called Hensforth and are in the process of counter-suing the ECIA. One of the defendants, Susan Billings, a single mother and chicken owner whom the board is suing, says the hens are her son's pets. Billings admits the situation caused her to rethink her decision to live in Eldorado, but support from people in the neighborhood—especially during the Eldorado Funky Chicken Fuster Cluck, a recent fundraiser to raise money to help cover court costs for “The Eldorado Nine”— reminded her why she moved there in the first place. When asked if it's worth the fight, she hesitated but said, “At this point, yes, it’s worth it. If for no other reason than to show my nine-year-old son that sometimes you have to stand up for yourself.” Daigle is equally committed to her community, though she sees the situation differently, saying, “I love all animals, too, and if I had chickens or sheep or goats, they would be my pets. But I chose to live in a CID subdivision that doesn’t allow poultry and livestock because that is what I want, just like the majority of lot owners here." Local landscape designer and author Nate Downey has consulted Eldorado clients on the beneficial sustainability aspects of keeping chickens. He believes the residents resisting backyard chickens started from the wrong set of premises—he thinks the ideal of living in a strictly man-made built environment, disconnected from natural processes, is an outdated notion. “It’s in our genetic code to live with animals,” he says. When asked why he thinks Eldorado prohibits chickens, Downey replied, “Chickens aren’t illegal in Eldorado. You can go to the store and buy a dead one wrapped in Saran Wrap.”

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Downey’s remark is a reminder that chicken-keeping rules and zoning regulations, at the county, city, town, and neighborhood levels, directly affect (and often contradict) each other. For example, the city of Albuquerque Code Enforcement Division has no limit on the number of chickens, ducks, roosters, and similar poultry allowed in most single-family residential zones (granted, of course, that the animals are not harmed or being a nuisance). The city’s Animal Welfare Department specifies a household poultry limit of fifteen hens and one rooster. And in Santa Fe, an employee in the Department of Animal Services explains that no rules expressly allow keeping chickens within the city limits, however no city code prohibits it, either. The Eldorado chicken war mirrors food security issues that reach beyond the subdivision boundaries. In Taos, resident Peter Leonard renovated his house, a property that features impressive infrastructure and landscaping and has been featured in home and garden tours, permaculture events, and art and environment festivals. Wanting to raise chickens, Leonard went to the zoning office where a town employee informed him that Taos does not allow keeping chickens but he could apply for a variance, which he decided not to do. At one point during the renovations, an inspector, the same zoning office employee, came to his house. When the inspector saw the chickens in Leonard’s yard, he said he wouldn’t approve the renovations until Leonard removed the chickens. However, the Taos town code specifies that a resident can keep no more than twenty small fowl per acre including, but not limited to, chickens and turkeys, and a resident cannot have livestock pens closer than one hundred feet from a property line, watercourse, or acequia. In residential/agricultural zones, a property owner cannot have "any livestock pens or other intensive ranching or agricultural uses incompatible with residential development by virtue of their appearance." Who has the final say on what is considered “incompatible,” is unclear. One thing is obvious even when the laws are not: for urban and suburban New Mexico residents and property owners who want to raise chickens, it is vital that they arm themselves with as concrete an understanding as possible of all the rules of battle. A peace offering of fresh eggs isn’t a bad idea, either.

Nancy Zastudil is an itinerate curator and writer. Visit her website at www.thenecessarian.com.

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

Porcelain Bantam

Ameraucana

All the Pretty Birds photos by Rick Scibelli

Marans

Black Australorp

Gold Sex Link

Rhode Island Red

Barred Rock Jason Greene, The Grove Cafe & Market

Wild Turkey

Wyandotte

Ameraucana &

Belgian Bearded d'Uccle

kitchen table politics

In a Pickle

By Nissa Patterson ∙ Photo by Dory Wegrzyn

Jay Wheeler wants to make you pickles. He even wears an AstroTurf green shirt that has "I'm a man and I can" printed above a drawing of a stylized mason jar. "Hot garlicky dill pickles have been made by generations of my family and I want to share those," he tells me, as he re-pots tomato plants into larger Styrofoam cups. We are sitting in the balmy greenhouse at the Red Tractor Farm discussing city, county, and federal policy as it relates to farmers developing products like jam and pickles. "These pickles taste incredible—not like the Vlassic with that flat vinegar-salty flavor. These have layers of flavor. Garlicky, hot, with apple cider vinegar,” he mashes the soil around the tomato plant to make his point. Jay grew up in Durango in a house with an oversized back porch outfitted with an outdoor kitchen designed for mass production. Stoves, freezers, refrigerators, and tables were all set to efficiently produce chow-chow, pickled beets, sauerkraut, gooseberry jam, chokecherry jam, green and red chile, and even ravioli. Each item was made in season by a rotating cast of women. Beena Huffman came for ravioli and Pita Gomez came for chile. There was lots of talking but there was also a seriousness to the work, with exclamations like, "Oh no,

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

Myrna, don't do it that way!" and careful attention to the craft of food preservation. It was hot work, sweat circles collected under the apron, but come dinner the family savored thin cuts of roast beef that had been bubbled to perfection under the broiler and wrapped around garlicky dill pickles. The preserves Jay’s family and friends made were not sold; everyone went home with a batch to share with their families. The integrity of the product depended on the integrity of the canning process. However, if they had sold a jar to someone it would have been an easy transaction; money for food. It was not until 1973 that the federal government developed strict regulations for low-acid foods after botulism outbreaks from canned foods. These days if you want to make and sell pickles, you better get cozy with the Food and Drug Administration’s Code of Federal Regulations, Mango Tango Title 21, Part 113: Thermally processed low acid foods packaged in a hermetically sealed container (21CFR113). To try to understand these regulations, I spoke to Dr. Nancy Flores, FoodCameron Technology PhotoExtension by Stephanie Specialist at New Mexico State University. Dr. Flores takes these regu-

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lations, and the safety aspects of pickling, very seriously because "a lot can go wrong.” She explained to me that all pickles in the United States that are intended for sale to the public must be processed in a commercial kitchen or processing facility, adhere to the regulations outlined in 21CFR113, and be registered with the FDA. “The pickler has a lot of responsibility to get it right," a point she makes on the phone and I’m sure she reiterates at Better Process Control School, a course for processors of acidified and low acid foods that she co-teaches. The course is four days, costs $575 and is required per the federal regulations. The primary purpose of this training is to ensure that products are safe from deadly organisms like botulinum toxin (the cause of botulism), which in our grandmothers' time had a seventy percent fatality rate. If you think botulism is a thing of the past, Dr. Flores can tell you about the twenty-yearold New Mexican who died a “painful, terrible death” from a jar of canned red chile given to her by a family friend. Now botulism is very rare, and when contracted is fatal in only about two percent of cases. The regulations play the role of modern stern grandmothers, helping us keep our products safe.

Farm & Table creates seasonal dishes made from scratch with ingredients sourced from our on-site farm and these local farms, growers, ranchers & artisans from across New Mexico Sol Harvest Farm (Our on-site farm) Agri-Cultura Lemitar Green Chile Farm Akin Farm Losack Farms Amyo Farms Marble Brewery ARCA Organics Milagro Vineyards Beneficial Farms Moore Family Farms Blackstone Ranch Nepantla Farms B's Hone Honey Farm Old Windmill Dairy Carrizozo Orchard Organic Del-Valle Casa Rondeña Preferred Produce Chispas Rasband Dairy East Mountain Organics Rio Grande Community Fair Field Farmer Farms Four Daughters' Ranch Rosales Produce Sabroso Fr Fresh Produce ABQ Sab Gemini Farms Sage bakehouse Granja Para Manana Sangre de Cristo Organic Growing Opportunities Schweback Farm Gruet Winery Simply Honey Heidi’s Raspberry Farm SKarsgard Farms Henry’s Farm St. Francis Farms Hip Chik Farms Sungreen Living Foods Hobo Ranch Swans' Garden King Orchard Sweet Grass Beef Kyzer Farm Talus Wind Ranch La Cumbre Brewing Co. Tamaya La Montanita Co-op Taos Pueblo La Paloma Greenhouse Tucumcari Mountain Che Cheese Factory Le Quiche Vida Verde Farm

Angie Rodriguez and Maria Gamboa of Valley Gurlz Goods can tell you all about the approval process. They developed a pickled green bean product and from concept to shelf it took them seven months to navigate the process. The twists and turns included submitting their recipes and canning process to NMSU for approval, permitting paperwork with the county, permitting paperwork with the state, and registering with the FDA. It turns out they did it relatively quickly, owing to their persistence. "I can see how people get discouraged," Maria says, “but we wouldn’t give up.” For Maria and Angie this meant partnering with the South Valley Economic Development Center (SVEDC), which provides facilities, resources, and training for new and expanding small businesses, with an eye to job creation and fostering the economic revitalization of Albuquerque's South Valley community. SVEDC is like a sophisticated older sister, providing mentorship on food preparation, guidance on the approval processes, and offering their commercial kitchen at an hourly rate. Going out of their way to help food entrepreneurs, their commercial kitchen is available twenty-four hours a day. They even help their clients get their product on the shelves of local markets. Maria and Angie found SVEDC's help vital but as the first picklers using SVEDC there were a few bumps in the road. No one told them about the Better Process Control School and their first application to the county was denied because of another miscommunication. Fortunately, they succeeded and La Montanita Co-op, La Tiendita at SVEDC, and the Downtown Growers Market all carry their crunchy, Soccorro-grown pickled green beans.

to our local farms, growers, ranchers & artisans.

Like Valley Gurlz, Jay and his business partner, Dory Wegrzyn of Red Tractor Farm, also want to make pickles, and other products like jams. Drawing from his family legacy, Jay is serious about food safety. He is also perplexed by the myriad of rules that govern the process. “Now if I want to make jam there is an entirely different ap-

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8917 4th St NW

Albuquerque, NM 87114

505.503.7124 Farmandtablenm.com

Dinner: Wed-Sat open at 5pm Brunch: sat-sun 9am-2pm

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edible Santa Fe 路 Summer 2013

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proval process than pickles," he says. He is right. If Jay, or any other farmer or citizen, wants to make and sell a product, like apricot jam, then yet another process prevails. As an “acid” food, jams and jellies fall under a separate federal law, 21CFR114, and are generally considered a less risky product to process. In fact, they are so much less risky that in most of New Mexico a citizen can request a permit to make jam to sell to the public from a home kitchen. In 2010 there was a rule change to 7.6.2 NMAC Food Service and Food Processing Regulations allowing citizens to apply for a permit from the New Mexico Environment Department to make certain “non-potentially hazardous foods” such as jams, jellies, certain baked goods, tortillas, candy and fudge, and dry mixes, from their home kitchen. The process includes a rigorous application, a hundred dollar fee, proof of permitted wells and septic systems, and an inspection of the home kitchen. The product must be labeled “Home Processed” and can only be sold directly to the consumer at outlets like farmers' markets and fiestas. Neither Bernalillo County nor Albuquerque chose to adopt a home processing option. Officials from both municipalities say the state approach is not in accordance with the definition of a “food establishment” as laid out in the FDA Food Code* and that they wish to maintain a higher degree of public safety. As a result, they require even non-potentially hazardous items to be prepared in a commercial kitchen. Lorie Stoller from the City of Albuquerque Environmental Health Department also points out that if they adopted the state approach, it would require a whole host of regulatory changes, including zoning laws. She is also concerned about the civil rights aspect of inspecting homes since all of their inspections are unannounced (what is 8am like at your house?). Not to mention that it is hard for her to envision adding home inspections to the over 1,000 food permit inspections each of her staff do a year. Interestingly, data from the New Mexico Environment Department indicates that there probably would not be an avalanche of inspections to carry out. Only fifty home-processing permits have been issued statewide since the regulations changed in 2010. The city has decided that it is okay if a citizen from another county brings their yummy plum jam (or any permitted home processed item) and sells it at a farmers’ market within city limits. Both Albuquerque and Bernalillo County officials point to high standards of food safety and the FDA Food Code as their reason for not allowing home processing, but over thirty states currently have home processing, “cottage” food laws. In at least one of these states, South Dakota, a permit can be obtained to home-process pickles, sauerkraut, and chutney, for direct sale to consumers. Let’s assume all these states are not gleefully neglecting public safety and willfully ignoring the FDA Food Code. In my discussion with Dr. Flores she acknowledged, “there is room for interpretation” when it comes to the FDA Food Code and other food regulations. Dory finds it frustrating and unfair that some New Mexico citizens, but not all, can process non-potentially hazardous items in a home kitchen. "I can sell tomatoes for three dollars a pound but if

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edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

edible Santa Fe 路 Summer 2013

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I could take two tomatoes, make tomato jam and sell that for six dollars, that little bit of value-added extra farm income can make or break my business. Why shouldn't we have the same opportunity for economic development as the rural areas?" she asks. As our country moves back toward locally grown and prepared foods, folks like Jay, Dory, and Valley Gurlz need support to pave the way for others. For New Mexico, part of the solution lies in more commercial kitchens staffed like SVEDC. Recently four New Mexico communities approached SVEDC and offered up commercial kitchen space if SVEDC could develop a program for food entrepreneurs. They worked with the legislature and easily passed a $300,000 bill through this last session but the program was line item vetoed by the governor. Tim Nisly, chief operation officer of the SVEDC, was clearly frustrated. “This was a shovel-ready economic development project that would have provided real economic development possibilities in these communities," he said. If funded, the bill would have resulted in a network of centers, supporting each other and their clients. Another option is that schools, senior centers, and churches, which already have approved commercial kitchens, open them up to food entrepreneurs. Most government officials I spoke to were truly helpful, but when pressed about why the processes were so confusing and time consuming to navigate, there was a collective cry of “the public’s health!” Government of the people, by the people, for the people should mean more transparent and supportive structures. Each level of government could develop easy-to-understand websites and handouts that translate the federal bureaucrat-ese into something even our canning foremothers could have followed. NMSU makes the best stab at this and has several handouts on the topic. NMSU and SVEDC offer orientation classes that cover the permitting process but it would be helpful if new food entrepreneurs had access to mentorship for encouragement and to answer questions. Maria and Angie would be there, “We’d love to help others out.” And if thirty states allow some form of home processing maybe Albuquerque and Bernalillo County should look into it. I think our grandmothers would like that.

Kick Back And Enjoy Summer On The Patio! It’s also the perfect venue for a Private Party or Reception! For large party information call 505-955-0765.

*The FDA Food Code is a guidance document that the FDA suggest municipalities and states adopt but does not require them to do so. The city of Albuquerque has adopted the 2009 FDA Food Code and the County of Bernalillo has adopted the 2005 FDA Food Code. They plan on adopting the 2013 FDA Food Code. Nissa Patterson is a mother, writer, gardener, and public health professional. Her place is in the garden, where she is exploring the joys of growing food for her family.

Enjoy the finest prime and choice dry aged steaks, chops, and seafood. Our wine list features more than over 800 labels and over 20 wines by the glass, earning us wine Spectator’s “Best of Award of Excellence.” Open Daily from 11:00am till closing 414 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe, NM 87501 955-0765 | RioChamaSteakhouse.com FOllOw uS ON FACEBOOK

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Nina 43Yozell-Epstein

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

Saturday July 13

Sunday July 14 | 2013

Join us for the most fragrant event in New Mexico. Enjoy music, art, antiques, beer and wine garden, winery tours, children’s activities, The Los Ranchos Growers’ Market and so much more. Los Ranchos de aLbuqueRque | 4920 Rio GRande bLvd.

www.lavenderinthevillage.com Find us on

and

artwork by Ginnie Brown

2013 Lavender Baking Contest presented by edible Santa Fe

Show off your best lavender recipe and enter the Lavender Baking Contest. Register here: www.ediblesantafe.com/lavender

JULY 14 AGRI-NATURE CENTER

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

The Farm Shop at Los Poblanos is offering $2 off their Royal Velvet organic culinary lavender during the month of June. Be sure to mention the Lavender Baking Contest.

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agritourism

Ice’s Country Tea Room & Organic Farm Story and Photos by Selena Marroquin

Tucked away in the historic village of Los Luceros eight miles north of Española on the River Road to Taos sits Ice’s Country Tea Room and Organic Farm. With humming birds dancing outside of the windows of their cozy tearoom, Gayle and Ron Ice shared their experiences and adventures with farming. “He loves to plant tomatoes,” Gayle told me as she explained how it all started. They began gardening when they retired—when their garden began to produce too much for the two of them, they decided to sell at a local farmers’ market. The following year, Gayle and Ron deliberately planted a little more and soon added a commercial kitchen for Gayle’s jams and jellies all made from their own produce. Be sure you try out her dandelion jelly, it’s quite a treat. Today, nearly twenty years later, the farm boasts an orchard, rows of lavender, corn, sugar snap peas, garlic, and, of course, a few varieties of Ron’s favorite, tomatoes. Continuing their farmers’ market tradition, Gayle and Ron regularly sell at the Los Alamos Farmer's Market on Thursdays and at the Santa Fe Farmers' Market on Saturdays.

Take a tour of the farm, and then enjoy afternoon tea at a table adorned with fine silverware, plates, and goblets pulled from Gayle’s personal Royal Doulton China collection. The tea room is only open on Tuesdays, May through September, so make a reservation early. In addition to tea, Gayle serves up a five-course meal using as much from the farm as possible. Even the edible flowers lining the walkway to the tea room are used to garnish the plates. Iced tea, hot tea, freshpicked salads, sweets and scones, homemade sorbets, and more are all on the menu. Road 1097, House 33, Los Luceros, 505-852-2589 www.icesorganicfarm.com The GCCE (www.culturalentrepreneur.org) has partnered with edible Santa Fe to invite readers to explore food and farm traditions of our state with the people who are keeping these traditions alive and thriving. Visit our farms, eat local, and share your stories with us as we support our regional agritourism sites. www.ediblesantafe.com/agritourism

Toni Boyd Broaddus, Photo by Selena Marroquin

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edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

Albuquerque, NM

Albuquerque’s Old Town Salsa Fiesta September 14, 2013 Join the celebration of all things salsa. The annual Old Town Salsa Fiesta features salsa bands and dancers at the Historic Old Town gazebo, free kids’ activities and crafts, plus a homemade salsa recipe competition.

A Salsa Fiesta in New Mexico wouldn’t be complete without a salsa recipe competition.

TRUE p FALSE p

Watch competitors make their salsa on the plaza. Taste them all and cast your vote for your favorite.

www.ABQSalsaFiesta.com 800.284.2282 Cultural Services Department, City of Albuquerque

Life should be beautiful

Trees • Shrubs • Bedding • Natives • Houseplants • Pharmacy • Home Decor • Pottery

501 Osuna Rd | Albuquerque, NM 87113 | 505.345.6644 | www.osunanursery.com subscribe @ ediblesantafe.com

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

Table Hopping Story and Photos by Sergio Salvador

The Supper Truck I finally found a way to improve my life through Twitter. Before this revelation I benefited from the occasional inspiration a fellow photographer might tweet or basked in the glow of an international soccer scoop—but I am now forever connected to something really special: our local food truck scene. And what a scene it is becoming. The food truck is not new to Albuquerque. According to Patrick Humpf, who manages a food truck co-op known as ABQ Food Trucks (@abqfoodtrucks), there are over 150 trucks operating in the Duke City today—and those are the licensed ones. Many, including the muchloved Sanchez Tacos group (www.sancheztacosabq.com), have been here for years and represent an old guard. But it is a tight-knit group of businesses operating for less than one year that have more recently captivated our community and catapulted the food truck into Albuquerque’s culinary consciousness. My first exposure to the impact of local food trucks came by way of the Food Truck Rumble II earlier this year. I stopped by the Il Vicino Tap Room on a Tuesday night to snap a photo and was astonished by the more than 800 person turnout for the event. I decided to learn more. Since then I committed myself to a systematic program of following twitter feeds to track the trucks as they move around town. Several

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

things became immediately clear. First, a decidedly symbiotic relationship is blooming between several local breweries and the trucks that take turns parking in front of their buildings. This cooperative spirit provides a comfortable setting for folks to enjoy the crafts of two separate local businesses in the same place. “It’s the definition of a win-win situation,” says Marble Brewery owner Ted Rice. “We’re able to focus on what we do best, but still offer our customers a rotating variety of quality dishes to pair with our many different styles of beer—it’s getting really fun.” Marble, Tractor, and La Cumbre breweries are the main destinations for food truck enthusiasts right now, but word is that other breweries are taking notice and warming to the idea. Another must-visit destination for food truck initiates is the Great Food Truck Pod in the Talin Market parking lot on Wednesdays and Fridays during lunch hours. The aforementioned ABQ Food Trucks organizes a bi-weekly gathering and features as many as ten trucks expressing culinary influences that range from Scottish savory pies to Korean soul food to Southern comfort food. It’s an opportunity to taste the food truck world by sinking your teeth into savory crepes, traditional barbeque, or a delicious cooked-to-order burger.

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Rustic

Soobak Foods Apprehensive about trying out a food truck? Start with something familiar by visiting Rustic (@rustictruck505). The burgers here rival anything you can get in Albuquerque, at an affordable price. Owner Kelly Adams sources his ground chuck from Belen, grows his own tomatoes, and offers Wagner Farms’ green chile along with other delicious toppings. The buns are baked fresh daily at the Fano Bread Company. Adams started Rustic in August of 2012 with longtime girlfriend Johannah Torres, whose family owns the Luna Mansion and Teofilos in Los Lunas. Look for the snappy brushed metal truck. Once you’ve sampled from the burger menu, try the Philly Cheesesteak. Vegetarians have an option on the menu known as the Mother Nature, which features a hearty black bean chipotle patty. Indulge in the delicious sweet potato fries on offer here as well. Vegetarians and vegans will find a wide range of options at the Soobak Foods truck (@soobakfoods) where most of the menu is also gluten-free. John Katrinak put the wheels of this Korean soul food truck in motion in January after losing his job in the wake of the Border’s Bookstore bankruptcy. The menu is inspired by fond memories of his Korean grandmother’s cooking, but Katrinak also emphasizes fusion with items like Korean chile cheese fries featuring local roasted green chile, Tucumcari cheddar, and grass-fed beef. My favorite dish was the kimchi and rice, which I had with mushrooms but also comes with pork or barbeque beef. My kids loved the doeji bulgogi, which are spicy pork tacos. Among the vast number of barbeque trucks in town, the best smoked meats I found come out of the TFK Smokehouse (facebook.com/talkingfountainkitchen). Owned by Chris White and Katy Calico, the converted flatbed trailer boasts a conspicuous four-cubic-foot smoker on the front and opened for business in November last year. The menu offers a range of creative sandwiches packed with smoked meats including pastrami, brisket (from Raton, New Mexico), pork, ham, corned beef, turkey, and anything else that tastes better smoked. At the end of the day, what doesn’t? A long time restaurant industry insider, White spent his recent years as sous chef at Slate Street Café, and still uses the restaurant as a commissary. Plans are in place for a cold smoker so that cheeses can feel like they’re a full part of the team too. Menu highlights in-

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clude the barbeque brisket sandwich and the rueben, but it’s hard to go wrong at TFK. If you want to make absolutely certain you have somewhere to sit while you dine, head to The Boiler Monkey (@theboilermonkey). This giant bus has room for fifteen diners inside and still has space for two crepe irons and a kitchen in the back of the bus. France has proven the merits of the crepe as an ideal street food, offering a quick turnaround and a creative canvas for the chefs to work with. The Boiler Monkey proves that the concept can work in Albuquerque too. The menu at The Boiler Monkey features sweet and savory options with an eye toward healthy eating. Owner Matt Fuemmeler opened last fall, and immediately began seeking relationships with local farmers and CSAs as he moves in the direction of using as many locally-sourced, organic ingredients as possible. An ideal time to try The Boiler Monkey might be on Thursdays from 10am to 2pm when it is parked in front of Michael Thomas

The Boiler Monkey

Matt Yohalem, Il Piatto

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

Your get-away nest is just a click-away. www.casagallina.net

575-758-2306 edible Santa Fe 路 Summer 2013

Taos, NM 50

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table hopping life. She spent time working odd jobs while developing a business plan and securing financing to put the pieces in place to realize her dream of operating a food truck. After six more months customizing her rig, Black opened in the fall of last year. The food here is best described as Southern Fusion, and reflects Black’s roots (a grits shipment arrives from South Carolina each week) as much as her love for other world flavors, those of Asia in particular. A perfect example is the fried chicken banh mi sandwich, boasting a combination of flavors so sublime one wonders why they hadn’t thought of it first. Another popular option is the spring shrimp and grits, which won the most recent Rumble in May. Fiona Wong and Soma Franks

TFK Smokehouse Coffee, a local brewer of a different sort that has embraced the gourmet food truck movement in town. Start your day there with a tasty, locally-roasted coffee and a handmade lox crepe and good things are bound to happen. If it’s Italian you’re looking for, get yourself and your loved ones to Sebastiano’s (@sebastianosnm). This is not a pizza cart. You’ll find porcini and truffle ravioli in a cream mushroom sauce, hand-made manicotti, and a variety of subs stuffed with things like made-from-scratch meatballs and Italian sausage flown in from Philadelphia. The Airstream trailer that houses Sebastiano’s is a thing of beauty, as is the custom-built, full-service kitchen. If you are an Airstream enthusiast, you owe yourself a visit. Sebastiano’s also has one of the more kid-friendly menus among the trucks. I have lauded the food coming from the window at The Last Call (www.lastcallabq.com) in the pages of edible Santa Fe before, and am happy to report that owner Luis Valdovinos has recently thrown his hat into the food truck ring. Earlier this spring, Luis purchased the truck that housed the beloved Dia de Los Takos when owner Dominic Valenzuela decided to take his concept to the streets of San Diego. The brand new TLC Taco Box (@ tlctacobox), uses The Last Call kitchen as a commissary, and spreads to the greater Albuquerque area the delicious gourmet bar food that has fast become a Nob Hill cult favorite. For the many diners devastated by the news that Dia de los Takos is taking their game out west, the blow is sure to be softened by the Baja-style street tacos and other creations, including fresh ceviche and birria, available at the TLC Taco Box. If one goes by the results of the last two Food Truck Rumbles, I have saved the best for last. To be sure, the yellow Supper Truck (@thesuppertruck) is among the most high-profile gourmet food trucks in town, and not just because of its eye-catching color. Owner Amy Black moved to Albuquerque from Charleston, South Carolina in 2011 to decompress and reevaluate her

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Delegation is a big part of the success at The Supper Truck. Black is the first to point to chef Jessica Keller and sous chef Nick Griffin, both of whom she found by way of the culinary program at Santa Fe Community College, as the backbone of the business. Add to that the fact that Black graduated with degrees in marketing and business and the pieces are in place for a well-rounded, successful enterprise. The Supper Truck provides the exclamation point on the notion that food trucks, both locally and nationally, have evolved way beyond the days of microwaved burritos at construction sights and car shows. These are gourmet restaurants in motion. Unencumbered by many of the difficulties of running a restaurant, they can explore niches and stretch their creative muscles in ways that benefit all of us.

Food Truck Rumble So, do yourself a favor. Subscribe to the Twitter feeds and Facebook pages of these businesses. Make sure to follow @abqfoodtrucks as well as @dukecitytrucks, and embark upon the journey these culinary entrepreneurs offer. I have only touched the tip of the iceberg here, as there are many other trucks with exciting, creative concepts that complement one another, the partners they’ve made in the breweries, and Albuquerque’s culinary scene in general. Every one of the trucks mentioned accepts credit cards, and provides excellent service. Sergio Salvador is an Albuquerque-based professional photographer, an occasional writer and a graphic designer sometimes. His work has been featured in New Mexico Magazine, Su Casa, The Santa Fean, Popular Plates, Vegetarian Times, edible Santa Fe and other fine publications. If you have a scoop for Sergio, send it to sergio@salvadorphoto.com.

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

eat local guide

PREMIUM

New Mexico has its own unique food traditions—from Hatch to Chimayo—and we’d like to help you find some of the area restaurants and chefs that create the distinctively New Mexico dining experience. Restaurants are chosen for this dining guide because of their emphasis on using local, seasonal ingredients in their menus and their commitment to real food.

EAT LOCAL GUIDE LO

Support these restaurants, and support local food communities.

Authentic

Delicious

L LY

S O U RC E

Albuquerque

8917 4th NW, Albuquerque 505-503-7124, www.farmandtablenm.com

600 Central SE, Albuquerque 505-248-9800, www.thegrovecafemarket.com

10601 Montgomery NE, Albuquerque 505-294-9463, www.savoyabq.com

A wonderful dining experience! Enjoy delectable seasonal dishes created by scratch, sourced from local farmers and our beautiful on-site farm.

An artisan cafe serving breakfast, lunch, and brunch; fine coffee, tea, and wine. Featuring the highest quality seasonal ingredients available.

California Wine Country in the Northeast Heights. Savoy strives to serve as many local ingredients as possible. Wine tastings and happy hour.

9 locations in Albuquerque & Santa Fe Railyard 505-944-5942, www.flyingstarcafe.com

1828 Central SW, Albuquerque 505-820-9205, vinaigretteonline.com

2031 Mountain NW, Albuquerque 505-766-5100, www.seasonsabq.com

Buying local, baking and cooking fresh since 1987, serving breakfast all day, seasonal specials, lunch, dinner, and award-winning desserts.

The salad-centric philosophy focuses on bold flavor combinations and savory proteins to compliment a huge variety of organic greens.

Oak fired grill, local ingredients, and the best patio dining Old Town has to offer!

844-b Bridge Blvd Albuquerque, NM

4803 Rio Grande NW, Albuquerque 505-344-9297, www.lospoblanos.com

3009 Central NE, Albuquerque 505-254-9462, www.zincabq.com

844-B Bridge SW, Albuquerque 505-695-1180, www.pop-fizz.net

Rooted in organic ingredients from its own farm and the Rio Grande Valley region. Join us at La Merienda, Wed-Sat 6-9pm, by reservation only.

A three level bistro featuring contemporary cuisine with a French flair. Dinner daily, weekend brunch, fabulous cocktails, and tasty bar bites!

An eclectic fusion of locally grown vegetables and exotic fruit refreshments. Paletas, aguas frescas, smoothies, fresh squeezed juices, and much more.

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

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Santa Fe

NEIGHBORHOOD TRATTORIA

322 Garfield, Santa Fe 505-995-9595, www.andiamosantafe.com

2801 Rodeo at Zia, Santa Fe 505-471-3800, www.joesdining.com

We prepare the finest, local and seasonal ingredients a la minute with the utmost care and respect. At the end of the day, we want our guests to feel better for having eaten here.

High quality European-influenced American comfort food. Joe's Mission: strengthen and protect our land, health, and economy by serving local sustainable food.

The salad-centric philosophy focuses on bold flavor combinations and savory proteins to compliment a huge variety of organic greens.

229A Johnson off Guadalupe, Santa Fe 505-983-8000, www.momoandcompany.com

198 State Road 592, Santa Fe 877-262-4666, www.fourseasons.com/santafe

We're dedicated to providing people with 100% gluten-free, (mostly) vegan baked goods without sacrificing taste and scrumptiousness.

Terra combines sense of place, local farm-fresh ingredients, and New Mexican culinary traditions, with Chef Andrew Cooper at the helm.

125 E. Palace, Santa Fe 505-988-5232, www.lacasasena.com A local favorite for over 30 years! Chef Gharrity features New American West cuisine infused with fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients. We also feature an award-winning wine list.

709 Don Cubero Alley, Santa Fe 505-254-9462, www.zincabq.com

Taos

TAOS DINER I & II

414 Old Santa Fe Trail, Santa Fe 505-955-0765, www.riochamasteakhouse.com Serving the finest prime and choice dry aged steaks, chops, and seafood. Our wine list features more than 800 labels and 20 wines by the glass, earning us the “Best Of” award from Wine Spectator.

103 East Taos Plaza, Taos 575-758-8866, www.thegorgebarandgrill.com

Arroyo Seco Plaza, 480 State Rd 150, Arroyo Seco 575-776-0900, www.aceqrestaurant.com

908 Paseo del Pueblo Norte, 575-758-2374 216B Paseo del Pueblo Sur, 575-751-1989 www.taosdinner.com

Seasonally inspired and technique driven comfort food, utilizing the best in local, wild, and farm fresh ingredients.

Home to New Mexican and American homemade, homegrown, and organic breakfast, lunch, and dinners. Gluten-free choices. Beer and wine.

125 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte, Taos 575-758-1977, www.taosinn.com

485 Hwy 150, Arroyo Seco 575-776-5640, www.taoscow.com

Menu is straightforward, yet eclectic, and chock full Serving lunch, dinner, Saturday/Sunday brunch. of favorites. Every dish is made from scratch using Patio dining, fresh local foods, award wining wines as many fresh and local ingredients as possible. and margaritas. Signature dish chile rellenos.

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Fresh, rBGH-free, all-natural super premium ice cream, locally-roasted, organic fair-trade coffee, fresh espresso drinks, and so much more!

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

in the Historic Taos Inn

taos marketplace Eat Local. Think Local. Shop Local.

FresH & LocaL oN THe PaTIo

Free Live Music Nightly Perfect Margaritas

No m i nat e your most loved,

575-758-2233

125 Paseo del Pueblo Norte Taos, New Mexico

Restaurant • Farmer • Food Artisan • Food Truck Chef • Food Organization • Food Retailer Beverage Artisan • Food Writer • Local Food Hero

Vote today @ ediblesantafe.com/myheroes

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

Local Hero Awards subscribe @ ediblesantafe.com

edible notables Bon Appétit Picks Los Poblanos as a Top 10 Foodie Hotel

Cooking with Kids wins IACP Award for Culinary Youth Advocate of the Year

Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm was honored to be selected as one of Bon Appétit’s “10 Best Hotels for Food Lovers in America” for their focus on fresh, organic, field-to-fork dining.

Cooking with Kids, Inc. was named “Culinary Youth Advocate of the Year,” an International Association of Culinary Professionals (IACP) Award of Excellence. Cooking with Kids Community Liaison Anna Farrier accepted the award on April 9, 2013, at the annual IACP conference in San Francisco. IACP Awards of Excellence recognize extraordinary contributions and commitments to the culinary field.

The top ten list includes hotels that Bon Appétit editors not only love to go to, they want to return to again and again. They selected hotels that carefully thought out their menu and other aspects of a unique culinary experience for guests. The list is a celebration of the people who achieve an incredible combination of great accommodations and not just good “hotel food”, but down right delectable dishes. Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm wants to thank the following businesses for making this possible:

After accepting the IACP award, Farrier said, “We are truly honored that the IACP has recognized Cooking with Kids with this prestigious award. We’re thrilled by the acknowledgment that what’s been happening in Santa Fe for all these years is quite unique and special: a non-profit working with public schools, supported by the local community—all of us together helping to change the way our children eat.”

Amyo Farms, ARCA Organics, Bountiful Cow Cheese Co., Chispas Farms, Del Valle Pecans, Exotic Edibles of Edgewood, Favorite Brands NM, Fiasco Fine Wine, Granja Para Mañana Farm, Green Tractor Farm, Heidi's Raspberry Farm, La Cumbre Brewing Company, La Montanita Co-op, Laura Anazco Eggs, Marble Brewery, National Distributing Company, Inc., The Old Windmill Dairy, Old Monticello Organic Farms, Pollo Real, Sabroso Foods, Sage Bakehouse, Shepherd's Lamb, Skarsgard Farms, Sol Harvest, Southern Wine & Spirits, Sweetwoods Dairy, Synergy Fine Wines, Taos Mobile Matanza, The Wheatgrass People, Toad Road Farm, Tucumcari Dairy, Van Rixel Brothers, and Villa Myriam Coffee.

Cooking with Kids' executive director, Lynn Walters, pointed out that enthusiastic letters of support from Santa Fe School of Cooking’s Susan Curtis and cookbook author Deborah Madison bolstered the nomination. “Susan and Deborah’s long-time support is greatly appreciated. They share our vision of a healthy future for the children of Santa Fe,” said Walters.

Los Poblanos Foodie Staff

First grade student with Cooking with Kids Educator Deborah Barbe at Gonzales Community School

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Cooking with Kids, Inc. is a non-profit organization that motivates and empowers elementary school students to develop healthy eating habits through hands-on learning with fresh, affordable foods from diverse cultural traditions. Since 1995, thousands of Santa Fe school children have participated in cooking and tasting classes.

edible Santa Fe · Summer 2013

last bite

edible Santa Fe 路 Summer 2013

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C LASSIC S ANTA F E & S PANISH R EVIVAL S TYLES

Update, Reface, Transform

Cabinetry as inspiring & creative as your food is delicious

Carved Custom Cabinets A M A Z I N G LY

Affordable

PERSONALIZED FINISHES C A RV E D C U S T O M C A B I N E T S . C O M •

& AUTHENTIC AND DOOR STYLES

5 05 .4 7 3. 12 46 ( BY APPOINTMENT )

itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s closer than you think.. Local ingredients, served locally. We seek out the freshest, seasonal organic produce, meats and fish. Then we serve it up with flair and attentive service right in your neighborhood. Join locals supporting locals. Deliciously.

OLD TOWN ALBUQUERQUE 505.766.5100 www.seasonsabq.com

HISTORIC NOB HILL 505.254.ZINC(9462) www.zincabq.com

ALBUQUERQUE HEIGHTS 505.294.WINE(9463) www.savoyabq.com

Cecilia's Organics in Polvadera, NM

ALBUQUERQUE, SANTA FE 505.850.2459 www.tasteabq.com

. .truly local.